Laoag City, Ilocos Norte—The ‘Alyansa para sa Bagong Pilipinas’ senatorial candidates on Tuesday underscored the need for a multilateral approach in asserting the country’s sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), backing recent joint military exercises and the enforcement of maritime laws.
In a press conference with the administration’s senatorial slate in the president’s bailiwick, Sen. Francis Tolentino said he supports President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s strategy of engaging multiple allies rather than solely negotiating with China.
“Our approach to this problem should be multilateral, not just between the Philippines and China,” Tolentino said. “Last week’s exercises with the US, Japan, Australia, and the Philippines were the right move,” he added.
Tolentino, who authored the Philippine Maritime Zones Law and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Law, also defended the Coast Guard and Navy’s actions in challenging foreign incursions.
“They are enforcing the law by telling those in Bajo de Masinloc and Pangasinan, ‘This is Philippine territory. You are violating the Philippine Maritime Zones Law. Please leave immediately,’” he said.
“This is a long process, but we have laid the legal framework to assert our maritime rights,” Tolentino added.
Former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos emphasized the Philippines’ 2016 arbitral victory, which invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea.
“That victory is ours. We cannot give it away,” he said. “From there, our government must take a multilateral approach.”
Survey frontrunner ACT-CIS party-list Rep. Erwin Tulfo took a hardline stance, calling for firm action in defending the country’s territory.
“Not an inch. We will not give up even a single inch,” Tulfo said. “Thousands of Katipuneros died defending this country—why shouldn’t we?”
Former Senate President Vicente Sotto III, who pushed for the maritime laws, stressed the importance of their implementation. “It’s as simple as executing the content and intent of the law,” he said.
“China has its nine-dash line—maybe we need our own nine-dash line. We cannot rely solely on UNCLOS [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea] interpretations. We need to declare our position clearly,” Sotto added.
Other candidates present—former Senators Manny Pacquiao and Panfilo Lacson, Makati Mayor Abby Binay, and Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar—did not give their positions on the WPS issue.