Former Foreign Affairs Secretary and now Senator Alan Peter Cayetano on Friday mentioned that not mentioning China’s aggression within the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was an indication of maturity and never weak spot.
The lawmaker issued the assertion as he opposed a Senate proposal urging the Department of Foreign Affairs to sponsor a decision earlier than the UNGA calling on China to cease its harassment of Filipino vessels within the WPS.
While he opposed the Senate decision, Cayetano mentioned the Senate ought to proceed its dialogue on the WPS.
“Maturity
“As elected leaders of the nation, it is our duty to get things done the right way. For this, we need wisdom and circumspection. In formulating a national strategy, we have to look honestly into the past and make every effort to learn from history,” he added.
Last Wednesday, Senator Risa Hontiveros sponsored Senate Resolution 659 within the plenary, which Cayetano blocked, arguing that aside from China, different states claimed possession over a number of elements of the WPS.
Cayetano additionally mentioned that the UN won’t be the correct discussion board as China most well-liked bilateral talks on territorial disputes and that President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. didn’t point out this plan of action as a part of the federal government’s technique.
He then appealed to the physique to debate the Senate decision additional and seek the advice of the related businesses earlier than adopting such a measure.
Heeding his enchantment, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri mentioned there can be an all-member caucus concerning the decision to debate the matter with Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo, Presidential Adviser to the WPS retired General Andres Centino, the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.
Cayetano additionally mentioned in his assertion that there have been discussions previously to deliver the matter to the UNGA, however consultants suggested that this is able to not assist the Philippines’ trigger and would possibly even weaken the nation’s place.
“The UNGA is not a venue of enforcement. The Philippine government’s problem has never been who is ‘right,’ rather it is who has the ‘might’ to enforce ‘the right,’” he mentioned.
The former DFA Secretary confused that the Philippines ought to have an aggressive and honest effort to have direct negotiations and confidence-building measures with China in resolving points within the WPS.
“We cannot be ignorant of geopolitics. We must be conscious of and sensitive to the dynamics of rival superpowers yet be assertive that superpowers should not force upon us their way of doing things in the region. A rule-based approach that is fair to all is what we should insist on,” the senator added.
On Thursday, President Marcos mentioned he didn’t see how Hontiveros’ decision would translate into motion earlier than the UN.
“Generally speaking, the foreign policy is not set by the legislative. Generally speaking, foreign policy is up to the executive,” Marcos mentioned.
“So, I mean, of course, the senator is free to file the resolution she wants. But I do not know how that will translate into any action that will reach the United Nations General Assembly,” he added. — DVM, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
