‘Delivery of goods to Pagasa residents to continue’

MANILA, Philippines - Malacañang defended yesterday President Aquino’s order suspending construction and repair activities on Pagasa Island, saying the move was meant to keep the country on a moral high ground in its territorial dispute with China over vast areas in the West Philippine Sea.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said over dzRB the freeze in infrastructure development would not affect the delivery of goods and services to residents of Pagasa, which is being coveted by China.

“But like what (Defense) Secretary (Voltaire) Gazmin said, that directive was issued sometime in the middle of 2014, and we need to ensure that we maintain our moral high ground because we filed a case before the arbitral tribunal as regards the West Philippine Sea (dispute),” Valte said.

Gazmin disclosed in a Senate hearing on his department’s budget that China seemed to have become less aggressive in the West Philippine Sea.

The defense secretary noted that the military was able to send supplies and food rations to soldiers stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre without being harassed by Chinese vessels.

“And we don’t want to deviate from the process that we chose to ease the tensions and avoid any incident that may be construed as ramping up tension or trying to provoke any of... the claimant countries that are involved. So at least, for this time, we are sticking to that tack,” Valte said. “In our view, it will not weaken our position.”       

The President’s directive came amid his continuous and aggressive campaign for support for the Philippines’ position on the West Philippine Sea before the international community.

The Department of National Defense’s budget for 2015 is P20 billion higher than this year’s allocation of P121.3 billion.

A moratorium on the construction of outposts in disputed areas is one of the immediate approaches broached by the Philippines under its Triple Action Plan. The plan also calls for international arbitration as well as avoiding provocative actions in the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippine Air Force last June revealed that it was ready to embark on a massive repair and development of the Rancudo airstrip that would involve dredging an anchorage area to allow the entry of vessels with construction materials.

Meanwhile, German Ambassador Thomas Ossowski underscored his country’s solidarity with the Philippines in adherence to the rule of law in the face of conflicts across the globe.

Ossowski voiced his country’s stand during ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of Philippine-German relations at the Sofitel Hotel on Friday.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario attended the event.

“Mr. Secretary, both our countries – Germany and the Philippines – we believe in the international system. We believe in the international order and the rule of law and we believe in the international society which is based on international law that is the value that the Philippines and Germany share very much together,” Ossowski said in a speech.

“We share also because in these times of conflict and crisis in this world right now we need this order very much,” he added.

For his part, Del Rosario thanked Germany for its support for settling maritime disputes in accordance with international law.

“Germany is very much interested in a peaceful settlement that is very important and also the freedom of navigation in that area so we support everything which reinforces the respect for the international law. That is our position,” Ossowski later told The STAR. – With Pia Lee Brago