Tag: exclusive economic zone

Statements

On China’s Use of Water Cannons in Our EEZ

We may not realize it but China derisively hitting our coast guard vessels with water cannons within our EEZ is a not-so-subtle manifestation of how little respect they have for our maritime forces, like peeing at our faces in our “own backyard”.

What to do? My consistent answer is – balance of power in WPS. How? Build alliances with more powerful countries to accomplish that. I’m thankful that the current administration, unintended or not, is doing it.

Make no mistake. I join all Filipino patriots and our international allies in saluting our personnel who regularly undertake the dangerous resupply mission, especially the Ph Marine contingent routinely posted in BRP Sierra Madre. My heart goes out to them.

*****

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Statements

WPS: Opinions, Decisions on the Mutual Defense Treaty

rectobank

On the Mutual Defense Treaty, while my opinion is different from the President’s, it doesn’t matter much which one is right or wrong; it is who is making the decision which in this case, obviously, he is the one.

As for me, I always express my opinion on what I think is right, not when it is popular. In some people’s minds, highly partisan as they are, that is lack of conviction.

*****

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Statements

On the President’s Stance on the West Philippine Sea Issue
wps-googlemaps
Image: Google Maps

It is a good development that the President has subsequently corrected himself by saying that he cannot prevent incursions of foreign fishing vessels within the Exclusive Economic Zone because even if he wants to, we don’t have the capability nor the capacity to do it, not to mention that the arbitral ruling is unenforceable in the first place; and that the Philippines merely exercises sovereign right, not sovereignty over the areas within the EEZ. I agree with the President in this regard. Having said that, to allow is not the same as not being able to prevent.

Further, calling on the United States – with whom we have a Mutual Defense Treaty – and other western allies to help check China in the WPS is proper given the prevailing circumstances, contrary to some narrow-minded critics that such move is a sure formula for war.

On the other hand, maintaining the balance of power in the WPS will prevent rather that ignite war. Why? No two superpowers would go to war in this day and age of nuclear technology for the simple reason of its ‘zero-sum’ outcome.

*****

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