Lorenzana criticizes SWS survey on West Philippine Sea
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana criticized a Social Weather Station survey which shows that 87 percent of Filipinos wants the Philippine to regain control of the islands occupied by China in the West Philippine Sea.
“It should be unanimous that we all want the control and exploitation of our exclusive economic zone (EEZ). There must be something wrong with the way the survey questions were crafted. So there are 10 percent who disapprove of the idea that we get back control? Who are these people? Why, they do not want the complete control of West Philippine Sea to be returned to us?” he said.
“If I were to make a survey I would separate the two: whether I want control of the West Philippine Sea and do you approved of the government’s action. Here I would explain what the Duterte administration found when it assumed office and what (it) is obtaining now in the West Philippine Sea,” he added.
Lorenzana defended Duterte as the survey question also asked if the “non-protest by the government of the Philippines a form of treachery by Pres. (Rodrigo) Duterte?”.
“I think the survey question included something that made the president guilty of inaction. Has the president abandoned our claim? No. Listen to his speeches. He would be impeached if he does it,” Lorenzana said.
“Did China take any of our occupied nine islands? No. We are still in control and in occupation. China reclaimed several underwater reefs that are now islands. Scarborough or Panatag shoal was lost to the Chinese in 2012. No island belonging to us were ever lost during the time of President Duterte while Panatag is under the effective control of the Chinese our fishermen could fish in the area,” he added.
“One cannot accuse the president of inaction because after his bilateral with (Chinese President) Xi (Jinping) our fishermen returned to Panatag to fish, we can resupply our troops on our islands without interference. An agreement was made that both parties cannot occupy new features and none has done so far in compliance with this, and there is talk of joint development of gas and oil resources in the area, tourism and trade has flourished, specially export of agricultural products,” he noted.
Lorenzana also criticized the previous administration and emphasize the importance of how the present administration handles the disputes with China.
“Compare these positive developments from that of the past administration: their action was to go to the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) - an international arbitral court, a body not under the UN and doesn’t have enforcement mechanism. China did not participate,” he said.
“We won but it is an empty victory: the Chinese won’t leave our EEZ and instead it continues to assert its historical rights over the areas within the nine-dash line. Additionally it stopped buying our bananas and pineapples. Chinese tourists dwindled to near zero, and our fishermen were barred from going to Panatag to fish,” he added.
Lorenzana admitted “it will take time before the conflict is resolved.”
“Even the Chinese said that maybe we may not be able resolve this in our lifetime. Maybe our descendants will be wiser. Meantime, let us leverage whatever advantage we have to improve our economy and the capabilities of our Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and help in maintaining Regional peace and stability,” he said. Robina Asido/DMS
