SENATORS urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to provide details of the provisional arrangement agreed upon by the Philippines and China to manage their differences in the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada and Sen. Francis Tolentino sought transparency on the agreement covering the resupply mission to Filipino troops on the beached BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.
Estrada said the arrangement was “a significant step in ensuring peace and stability” in the WPS.
Department of Foreign Affairs
“This is a pragmatic solution as it will now ensure our troops stationed aboard our grounded naval vessel receive the necessary support and de-escalate the tension in the West Philippine Sea,” the senator said. “However, I urge the Department of Foreign Affairs to provide additional information detailing the said arrangement.”
He raised the importance of transparency on the matter as China insisted that the Philippines should provide prior notice and onsite confirmation before it conducts any “humanitarian” resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin.
Tolentino, chairman of the Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones, also asked the DFA to disclose to the public the contents of the provisional agreement.
“This deal should be transparent and not shrouded in secrecy,” the senator said in a statement.
“It is important that we are able to deliver food and medicine for our soldiers. While this deal can help de-escalate tensions, the government must also assure our people that our sovereignty was not compromised.”
Meanwhile, China called on the Philippines “not to backpedal” in its commitment to implement the provisional agreement.
“We call on the Philippines to not to backpedal, not to create problems, and not to do anything that would complicate the situation,” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) spokesman Mao Ning said.
DFA spokesman Ma. Teresita Daza on Monday described as “inaccurate” China’s statement regarding the need for prior notification and on-site confirmation of the humanitarian resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre.
“In our desire to de-escalate the situation in the South China Sea and to manage differences in a peaceful manner, we emphasize that the agreement was done in good faith and the Philippines remains ready to implement it. We urge China to do the same,” she said in a statement.
“The principles and approaches laid out in the agreement were reached through a series of careful and meticulous consultations between both sides that paved the way for a convergence of ideas without compromising national positions.” Bernadette E. Tamayo
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