Lorenzana says Duterte’s policy in the West Philippine Sea is ”pragmatic and realistic”

August 3, 2020

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana defended President Rodrigo Duterte after some senators criticized what they called as "defeatist attitude" of the commander-in-chief towards China.

"A lot of criticism has been hurled at the President for his alleged defeatist attitude or stance on our maritime dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea... I believe he is not being defeatist. He is just being pragmatic and realistic," Lorenzana said in a virtual press conference after the change of command ceremony in Camp Camp Aguinaldo on Monday.

"You know there are so many countries who are getting involved here in the South China Sea but they have different interests than the Philippines. Their main concern is freedom of navigation. We support that," he said.

"If we study further we have other issues in the South China Sea like how are we going to exercise our sovereign rights to exploit the resources in the South China Sea. It seems that the other country is not interfering with this.It's only between us and China and so the President tact(ic) is to sit down with China and resolve this issue. And China, the Chinese are amenable to sitting down," he added.

Duterte was criticized by some senators after he admitted in his State of the Nation address (SONA) that he is "inutile” in defending the country’s territory against China.

Lorenzana also mentioned that there are ongoing talks between China and Philippines about sharing of resources.

"There have been ongoing talks about sharing our resources, extraction of the resources, and the President never set aside permanently the Arbitral Court ruling or award.He just told  President Xi ( Jinping) before my term ends I will invoke it so it is still there. It will not be forgotten," he said.

" China, they keep saying they will not honor the ruling but... they also remind us that Iif) they ignore the ruling, it means deep within their mind they know that the ruling is there which they cannot just ignore," Lorenzana said.

"They are mentioning it every now and then that they do not recognize the ruling. The mere fact that they are mentioning it, it means that there is some understanding that it exist in favor of the Philippines. Having said that, it's always good to discuss or to sit down and talk with our neighbors... we have trade, we have other relationships with China that we would like to continue and we cannot do that if our posture is beligerent," he added.

Newly appointed AFP Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay added that despite the "realistic and pragmatic approach" of the government, the President has never ordered the Armed Forces to stop  patrols in the West Philippine Sea.

"As far as the West Philippine Sea issue is concerned, our President, our national government is just adopting a realistic and pragmatic approach and strategy in really going about the problems...  without of course undermining our national interest because we know that is still our territory, up to the 12 mile exclusive economic zone," said Gapay in a virtual press conference after he formally assumed his post as the new AFP chief of staff.

"For the information of everyone, the President has never given an instruction to stop the Armed Forces from patrolling that area. Day in , day out Our Air force, our navy continuously patrol that area, our territory in that West Philippine Sea,'' he said.

Gapay said the military still abides '' in resolving this conflict or the issue peacefully and based on the rule of law. So those are our guiding principles as we perform our mandate in upholding our sovereignty and preserving our national, our territorial integrity in that west part of our country," he added. Robina Asido/DMS