Ramos, key diplomats urge Aquino to address Spratlys issue

Former President Fidel Ramos and key Philippine diplomats urged President Benigno Simeon Aquino III to address the country’s maritime and territorial claims on the Spratly islands in the South China Sea. The calls were made on Monday at the launching of the book of former Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Rodolfo Severino Jr. titled: “Where in the World is the Philippines?" Along with Severino and the other diplomats, Ramos cited the urgency to address the Spratlys issue because of the economic and security threats posed by the conflicting claims among the Philippines and its regional neighbors including China. In his book, Severino highlighted the need for the government to define the Philippine territory as its claims in the South China Sea remain uncertain. “The book does not take sides in debate, (it also) gives no answer to questions, (it) raises them and urges the country to resolve the issues," said Severino, now a senior research fellow at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. Severino said the Spratlys issue "remains to be a matter of national policy that has to be resolved by the government." “Politically, Philippine leaders are loath to make policy decisions that might open them up to charges of ‘giving away’ or ‘giving up’ Philippine territory or otherwise putting the country at a disadvantage with respect to its neighbors," Severino wrote. According to him, Manila’s failure to resolve the Spratlys issue “would continue to tie the hands of Philippine negotiators in bargaining with neighboring states on the delimitation of maritime boundaries." He said the country will fail to "use and enjoy" the marine wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial sea and exclusive economic zone. The country cannot enforce its laws on fishing, environment protection, and mineral exploration and defense measures, he added. Defining its territorial boundary also helps the Philippines resolve its claims to parts of North Borneo, now known as the Malaysian state of Sabah, said Severino. With some 500,000 Filipino workers in Sabah, mostly undocumented, the unresolved territorial dispute blocks the Philippines from establishing a consulate general to address the situation of its workers. Oil and gas resources Ramos, the keynote speaker during the book launch, said Aquino needs to address its claims on offshore oil and gas resources in the Spratly islands. “The importance of these resources has heightened significantly as the world’s demand for energy grows, even as offshore production technology improves," Ramos said. “The South China Sea engages the security interest of many countries in the region—which are concerned about the freedom of navigation in the Asia Pacific, and therefore strategically vital to the major powers," he added. Territorial disputes Meanwhile, former national security adviser Jose Almonte lamented that “the nation is not fully aware of what’s happening" in the territorial disputes over parts of Spratly islands. He said the government should consider seriously China’s emergence not only as an economic but also a maritime superpower. He noted that Beijing stated in July last year that its claim over the whole Spratly islands is not negotiable, similar to its claim over Tibet and Taiwan. Former solicitor general Estelito Mendoza urged Aquino to lead a national debate on crafting a “national position" for territorial disputes. The 2002 Declaration of Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea aims to maintain peace and stability in the disputed islands of Spratly. However, over the years, claimant countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Brunei protested Beijing’s move to build military structures in the disputed islands. The claimant parties are now negotiating a more legally binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. – VVP, GMANews.TV