Ping: Pilipinas, Dapat Mas Magpursigi Para Ganap na Maipanalo ang WPS

Image: CTTO

Limang taon matapos na maipanalo ang karapatan sa West Philippine Sea (WPS) sa Permanent Court of Arbitration sa The Hague, kailangan ng Pilipinas na lalo pang diinan ang pakikipaglaban nito para maging ganap ang tagumpay sa pag-angkin sa naturang lugar.

Ipinahayag ito ni Senador Panfilo Lacson, chairman ng Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, kasabay ng pagsasabing malaki pa ang kailangang gawin ng Pilipinas dahil patuloy pa rin ang presensiya ng Tsina sa lugar.

“Whatever we have done, or have failed to do, and what we must continue to pursue as part of our prerogatives as a law-abiding, democratic, and sovereign nation under this administration – unfortunately – has accrued little to our ‘accumulated advantage’ in the South China Sea and in the context of Philippine-China relations. On the contrary, we may have done very little in stemming the tide of an increasing Chinese footprint into the ASEAN region’s foreign policy, economy, and security,” paliwanag ng mambabatas.

“Thus, let us see this day for what it truly is: Commemorating a hard-won battle, but a victory still incomplete. We must, therefore, press on to complete the victory,” dagdag ni Lacson.

Read in ENGLISH: Lacson: PH Must Push On to Complete the Victory in WPS
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Lacson: PH Must Push On to Complete the Victory in WPS

Image: CTTO

Five years after its triumph over China in the West Philippine Sea before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, the Philippines must continue pushing to complete the victory, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Monday.

Lacson, who chairs the Senate Committee on National Defense and Security, Peace, Unification and Reconciliation, said much remains to be done amid China’s increasing presence in the Southeast Asian region.

“Whatever we have done, or have failed to do, and what we must continue to pursue as part of our prerogatives as a law-abiding, democratic, and sovereign nation under this administration – unfortunately – has accrued little to our ‘accumulated advantage’ in the South China Sea and in the context of Philippine-China relations. On the contrary, we may have done very little in stemming the tide of an increasing Chinese footprint into the ASEAN region’s foreign policy, economy, and security,” Lacson said.

“Thus, let us see this day for what it truly is: Commemorating a hard-won battle, but a victory still incomplete. We must, therefore, press on to complete the victory,” he added.

Basahin sa TAGALOG: Ping: Pilipinas, Dapat Mas Magpursigi Para Ganap na Maipanalo ang WPS
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Ping: Mas Tumibay na US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty, Pambalanse sa Situwasyon sa South China Sea

Mas magkakaroon ng balance of power sa South China Sea ngayong higit na pinahalagahan ng bagong administrasyon ng Estados Unidos ang US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty.

Ito ang nakikita ni Senador Panfilo Lacson, chairman ng Senate Committee on National Defense, bunga na rin ng komunikasyon sa pagitan ni Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. at US State Secretary Antony Blinken.

“There you go. The US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty is one yet untapped weapon in our arsenal. I certainly hope we do not draw that weapon. Meantime, we might as well keep it there,” banggit ni Lacson sa pamamagitan ng kanyang Twitter account matapos ang pagpupulong nina Locsin at Blinken.

Related: Lacson: ‘Reaffirmed’ US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty to Maintain Balance of Power in South China Sea
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Lacson: ‘Reaffirmed’ US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty to Maintain Balance of Power in South China Sea

With the importance placed on it by the Biden administration, the US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty will help maintain the balance of power in the Asia-Pacific – including in the South China Sea, Sen. Panfilo M. Lacson said Thursday.

Lacson, who heads the Senate’s Committee on National Defense and Security, said this after State Secretary Antony Blinken spoke with Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

“There you go. The US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty is one yet untapped weapon in our arsenal. I certainly hope we do not draw that weapon. Meantime, we might as well keep it there,” he said on his Twitter account.

Related: Ping: Mas Tumibay na US-PH Mutual Defense Treaty, Pambalanse sa Situwasyon sa South China Sea
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On the President’s Affirmation of the Philippines’ Arbitral Victory over China before the United Nations

‘Alipin’ no more! Hearing the President invoke the Award before the UN General Assembly while firmly rejecting any attempt to undermine it should now erase doubts on where he stands regarding the West Philippine Sea issue.

Filipinos from both sides of the political aisle should feel proud hearing the President express his strong and unequivocal position on the WPS issue. His statement should erase all doubts on where he stands.

More importantly, I hope that China heard the President’s message loud and clear.

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