FORMER President Benigno Aquino III is confident the Philippines is “closer to having a permanent solution” over its maritime rights in the South China Sea following a UN tribunal’s decision that China’s territorial claims to the area has no legal basis.
Aquino called on all the other countries to view the decision issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration of The Hague not “as a victory of one over another, [but as] a victory for all.”
“I say this because the clarity rendered now establishes better conditions that enable countries to engage each other,” Aquino said.
He made his statement even as Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri on Wednesday suggested that President Rodrigo Duterte go to China for his first state visit.
“That would be a masterstroke if I were President Digong,” Zubiri told reporters.
Senator Panfilo Lacson said the Philippines could go directly to the United Nations General Assembly and ask for help if China would insist on not recognizing the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
But Lacson said he favored Duterte’s statement to first hold bilateral talks with China to discuss bilateral exploration for oil and other resources.
Aquino thanked the Permanent Court of Arbitration for its fair judgment and the clarity with which it presented in its ruling.
“I am, of course, quite elated, particularly since all the points we had raised were affirmed,” Aquino said.
He expressed his gratitude “to all our countrymen and partners who have worked hard to defend our shared cause.”
The South China Sea dispute involves both island and maritime claims among several sovereign states within the region: Brunei, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.
Aquino, however, said The Hague ruling dealt with only the Philippines and China, and clarified “each state’s rights and obligations; but as our lead counsel said, it also has very strong implications as far as other coastal states are concerned with regard to Unclos.”
He said it was not that easy to file an arbitration case.
“The decision to pursue arbitration was not an easy one to make. Going into arbitration was called a game-changer. We foresaw and experienced the pressures in taking this route; yet until the end, we stood our ground,” Aquino said.