Senators call for peaceful resolution of Phl spat with China

MANILA, Philippines -  Senators yesterday called for a peaceful resolution to the country’s naval spat with China after the economic superpower reportedly harassed a Philippine marine research team in the disputed Spratly Islands.

Sen. Edgardo Angara said the country should not abandon the diplomatic protest filed against China’s display of power. 

“We have no reason to quarrel with China, nor does China have a reason to infringe on our rights. But China’s display of power – one that shows a big country strong-arming a poor country – should not be allowed to pass without strong complaint and vigorous protest,” he said.

“That’s why we should pursue diplomatically, not through arms... a condominium-type share in the exploration of the area. This was done by Norway and Sweden in the North Sea,” he added.

Angara maintained that the Reed Bank, the spot of the exploration, is within the country’s 200 nautical miles economic zone.

He said that as early as the 1970s, the Philippines has performed exploration work on the bank. Several gas and oil companies, including a consortium composed of the Yuchengco group of companies and a Swedish mining firm, explored the bank. 

“No protest or interference by any country in the region, much less the Chinese, were heard,” Angara said.

“Even assuming that the Reed Bank is part of the Spratlys – which it is not – there is no reason or justification for harassing the Philippine vessel.” Angara also noted the existence of the 1992 ASEAN Declaration on the South China Sea signed by the foreign ministers of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand which urges the signatory states to resolve sovereignty and jurisdictional issues by peaceful means.

Angara also stressed the need to fortify military security in the Spratlys.                                                                   

He said other claimant countries have beefed up their military presence in the disputed islands because it could possibly contain a large deposit of oil. – With Aurea Calica