GMA to sign baselines bill despite China protests - Palace

MANILA, Philippines - President Arroyo will sign into law a bill seeking to set the nation’s territorial boundaries despite protests from China.

The government will let the United Nations resolve the six-way dispute over the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in the South China Sea, according to deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez and Foreign Affairs spokesman Bayani Mangibin.

However, the Philippines will assert its sovereignty within international law and agreements with claimant nations, they added.

Mangibin said the government is open to talks with China to prevent relations between the two countries from deteriorating.

“We’re looking at summoning the Chinese ambassador,” he said.

“It’s our hope that the bill will be respected and that’s the reason why we’re optimistic that this will be resolved.

“We have expected that (protest), we’re prepared to face the concerns of China.”

Mangibin said lawmakers took pains to ensure that the bill would abide by the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea and address concerns of claimants including China.

“We will have to highlight the fact that the (Philippine) baselines (bill) is in conformity with our own laws,” he said.

Mangibin said dialogues should be held to resolve the matter, instead of making threats. “In the (ASEAN) Code of Conduct, both parties must exercise self restraint,” he said. “In short, we’re looking forward to peaceful discussion of issues.”

Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) may also discuss the issue during their summit in Thailand next week, Mangibin said.

On the other hand, Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago said the bill that aims to categorize the Kalayaan Island Group and Scarborough Shoal as a “regime of islands under the Republic of the Philippines,” is the “best version” that the country could put forward to emphasize its claim on the islands.

The issue could be brought before the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, she added.

Santiago, Senate foreign affairs committee chair, said Mrs. Arroyo should sign the bill to uphold the country’s claim to the disputed islands.

“It will remain for the International Tribunal (for) the Law of the Sea to abrogate the conflict but for China to file a protest would be equivalent to bullying the Philippines to surrender our claim,” she said.

“We are equal states, we should not be prevented from making our claim. I don’t think we should expect retribution from China because if they stop their foreign aid or foreign trade with us, we will view that as a belligerent act on their part.”

In separate statements, Senators Manuel Roxas II and Loren Legarda said the nation’s sovereignty must be protected despite protests from other claimant-countries.

Roxas said fears that trade and other relations with China and other countries might sour due to this dispute should not blur the primary need to defend the national territory and sovereignty.

“They are not entitled to everything,” he said.

“Are we going to surrender just because they have a stronger army or navy? What’s important is we stand for our country and its territory.”

“We should also complain against their claim that is an affront to our sovereignty,” Roxas said.

Legarda said claims over the KIG and Scarborough could be settled peacefully.

“It should not be a flashpoint or source of conflict among the claimant states, nor should the dispute affect their normal and harmonious relations as sovereign states,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Center for International Law, together with the Concerned Citizens Movement and students of the University of the Philippines-College of Law, are preparing a petition to challenge the constitutionality of the Baselines Bill after Mrs. Arroyo signs it into law. – Paolo Romero, Aurea Calica