Let’s surrender Spratly’s to China - Sec. Raul Gonzalez

April 24, 2008

Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez’s statement that the Spratlys and the Scarborough Shoal may as well be given to China because the country risks a war with regional superpower while stressing that the Philippines will lose that war since China is a military power got Sen. Rodolfo Biazon’s gander up.He yesterday assailed Gonzalez’s pronouncements that effectively told Congress to give up its stake on the Spratly Islands.

Gonzalez Wednesday said the country was courting China’s displeasure if Congress pursues the adoption into law of the baseline bill and could be inviting a military stare-down with the regional superpower.

The chairman of the Senate committee on national defense and security immediately scored Gonzalez on his statements, citing the implication of that uncalled for pronouncement on the country’s territorial sovereignty.

“While it is public knowledge that the military of the Republic of the Philippines, compared with the other super powers, is no match under the present day geo-political principles, international treaties and with the United Nations playing a role in the resolution of international conflicts, military might is not the sole determinant in the resolution of these conflicts,” Biazon pointed out.

“It is uncalled for, for anyone in government to publicly state that we should surrender to any super power in so far as the protection and defense of our territory is concerned,” he stressed.

Biazon also castigated the manner in which Malacanang had chosen in its attempt to block the approval of the bill as some Palace officials were caught giving out conflicting claims on whether pressure is being exerted by China for the government to weaken the country’s claim on the contested islands in the southernmost region.

Biazon specifically referred to Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita who denied there was any pressure being exerted by China, despite the fact that a letter from the Chinese government, threatening the Philippines with a deterioration of diplomatic ties, but strongly hinting at a break in relations if the Philippines included the group of islands as part of its territory, had been made public by Rep. Antonio Cuenco in the House of Representatives.

“The differing pronouncements such as that of the DoJ, Ermita and members of Congress as to the extent of the territory of the Republic of the Philippines could muddle up our soldiers’ understanding of the extent of the territory they are mandated to defend with their lives,” he said in calling for an explanation from the Executive to clarify the conflicting statements from its officials.

“It is important that the boundaries in relation to national security concerns be clearly defined to guide the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force in their performance of their duties in defending our territory,” he said.

Biazon, a former Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff, said it is highly bothersome to hear from an official like Gonzalez saying that the country should give up its stake in the Spratly Islands “because our country can not win against the superpower China.”

It is clear, based on Article II Sec. 3 of the Constitution, that the AFP “is the protector of the people and the State. Its goal is to secure the sovereignty of the State and the integrity of the national territory,” he said.

He added that “it is important for our soldiers to know what they are mandated to protect and defend because when the soldiers perform their mission, they are putting their lives on the line,” the senator said.

“It is not only that they do not know which part of our land, air and sea they must secure, but they may, in the conduct of their patrols go beyond these boundaries and trigger an international incident in an area that does not belong to us.

“Let us make it clear to our soldiers what they are willing to die for,” he said. “I support the enactment of a law on the Philippine Base Lines together with the established international concepts of exclusive economic zones, extended continental shelf and other such principles that define the extent of the interest of our country,” he added.

But Malacañang yesterday also made it clear it will not support the House proposed bill of Cuenco, chairman on the House Committee on Foreign Relations.

In a press briefing, Press Secretary and Presidential Spokesman Ignacio Bunye said the Executive Department headed by Executive Secretary Ermita wishes to convene first the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac), anytime next month which would be joined by a few congressmen and senators whose sole concentration is to revisit the Cuenco bill, which is already up for third reading at the Lower House.

“On April 4 Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita wrote a letter to some members of our House of Representatives. Basically, we are requesting to review, revisit the previous stand of Rep. Cuenco which was already approved on second reading. Our Explanation is that we have to answer doubts and consequences which may arise if we pass this bill…our purpose is not to weaken our sovereignty. That’s why in last Tuesday’s Ledac meeting, the Baseline Bill was not discussed,” he said.

He admitted that Cuenco’s bill has already been deferred. “That’s very clear from our letter to the House that we have to revisit the pending bill,” he said.

Bunye also denied that Malacañang asked Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, chairman on the committee of foreign relations, to shelve her bill . She earlier claimed that Mrs. Arroyo urged her “to shelve” her version on the archipelagic baseline bill.

“The letter of Secretary Ermita is clear. we have to convene Ledac on this particular matter because this is something that has to be dealt with by the government on or before the deadline time which will be on May 2009 so we have to come up with the decision,” he said.

Earlier, Ermita denied there had been pressure from China for the Arroyo government to come out with the baseline bill that would weaken the country’s claim on the hotly contested Spratly Islands which portions of islands lies within the country’s 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

In his weekly press briefing, Ermita said, ”There’s no pressure coming from China , we don’t know what are the basis of the statement of Congressman Cuenco but as to here in the executive branch, there’s no communication from China on this matter. What we’re only working on is for the interest of our country.

“We have made the position clear, the Office of the President had sent letter to our House Speaker telling them that the baseline bill has to be established. And now the Lower House has already included the Scarborough Shoal and the Kalayaan group of Islands under the Philippine territory….Definitely that’s (partly contested Spratly islands) ours. In fact it was during the presidency of late strongman Ferdinand Marcos, and I was a colonel still then, including it as part of the Philippine territory. That’s why we have already a municipality there, so no question about it,” he said.

Ermita assured both Houses of Congress that the Executive would want a unanimity on the matter.

Cuenco yesterday said that Congress is not going to question Malacañang’s duty to observe the country’s foreign policy much less arrogate upon itself the duties of the foreign affairs department even as he said that the different positions taken by the co-equal bodies could be resolved.

“The constitutional arrangement is that the Executive conducts our foreign policy. We do not question that. We in Congress are not arrogating upon ourselves the duties of our foreign service corps,” Cuenco said as he agreed that there is a possibility that the President may veto the bill if proper consultations will not be observed.

Cuenco said both Malacañang and Congress can agree on the country’s territorial waters.

“It should be a two-way street. You can give us inputs but please do not take away our right to review it,” Cuenco said.

The Cebu solon said he is optimistic that an agreement could be reached during the next meeting of Ledac, adding that he hopes that Malacañang will consider the House version.

In a related development, Isabela Rep. Giorgidi Aggabao and Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga appealed to their colleagues to consider Malacañang’s inputs in all matters that are being incorporated in the bill.

“The Executive Department’s opinion must be accorded utmost weight on bills with foreign affairs implications such as the baseline bill,” said Aggabao.

For his part, Barzaga said: “Malacañang cannot and should not be ignored in the delineation of our country’s baselines.”

Speaker Prospero C. Nograles said the Philippine Congress and the Executive should find a way to harmonize the country’s position relative to the definition of the nation’s archipelagic baselines.

by Angie M. Rosales, Sherwin C. Olaes and Gerry Baldo

source: http://tribune.net.ph/headlines/20080425hed1.html

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