Palace spokespersons told: Don’t usurp DFA job on Spratlys

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Sunday advised Malacañang’s spokespersons to stop issuing statements on the territorial dispute in the Spratly Islands, lest they usurp the job of the Department of Foreign Affairs. Enrile said statements issued by President Benigno Aquino III’s spokespersons tend to confuse DFA's role on the matter, and that their “tough talk" may backfire in the end. “Sa mga tuahan ni Presidente [to the President’s men], My advise is tone down your statements [regarding the Spratlys issue] and leave the matter to the DFA. Let the Foreign Affairs Secretary do his job," he said in an interview on dzBB radio. On Saturday, Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office head Ricky Carandang said the deployment of the BRP Rajah Humabon – the Philippines’ only warship – to patrol the seas near Scarborough Shoal is “a way of saying that this [the area] is ours." “We may be a small country, but we will do whatever we can to defend our sovereignty… Whatever capabilities we have, no matter how big or small, we’re going to assert our sovereignty," Carandang was quoted as saying. Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte, speaking on government radio dzRB, also said Malacañang expected China to continue its support for a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the ongoing dispute. But Enrile said Palace's spokespersons should stop issuing statements, lest they paint Aquino into a corner. “Let the DFA do the talking and the subalterns of the president should keep quiet," he said, adding that while they can confer with the DFA on what should be the Philippine position, “it should not be the Palace that should be talking directly." Confusing DFA's role Enrile stressed that statements issued by Aquino’s spokespersons tend to confuse the DFA's role. “Mahirap yan, eh. Ang diplomacy is handled by the DFA, mahihirapan ang DFA [It’s confusing. The DFA handles diplomacy but earlier statements might put the department in a difficult position)," the Senate President said. “They [DFA people] don’t know what position they have to take, nagsalita na ang center of power, eh (as the center of power has spoken)," he said. Enrile also said that while Aquino as President is the architect of foreign policy, his proper alter-ego in this regard is the DFA secretary. He also said the “tough" statements issued by Aquino’s subalterns smack of their desire to be in the media limelight. “Don’t let anybody other than the Secretary of Foreign Affairs make the pronouncement... e gusto ng mga tauhan ng Presidente na sila ang magsalita para mabanggit ang pangalan nila," Enrile said. “We are talking about the nation, we are not talking of the administration. We are talking about the interest of the country and not of the government in place," he said. “Posturing ang ginagawa nila. Pag may putukan sila unang tatakbo (They’re just posturing but when bullets start to fly, they’ll be the first to flee)," he added. On the other hand, he said usurping the DFA’s job will eventually backfire on Aquino as well, as it will force the President to personally intervene. “Let the Department [of Foreign Affairs] do the job. Otherwise, everything will backfire at him [Aquino]. Let the Department of National Defense deal with the military aspect, and the DFA deal with the political and international aspect of the problem," Enrile said. Don’t let destroyer sail to Spratlys Meanwhile, Enrile advised the government not to let the BRP Rajah Hubabon go beyond the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). “Anong magagawa ng isang destroyer, isang torpedo, isang missile lang tapos na yan, lulubog yan (What can one destroyer do? A torpedo or a missile will finish it off)," he said. “Okay lang kung wala sa disputed area, kung within our EEZ, okay lang yan. Naroon na, eh, hindi na pwede iurong yan. Pero tama na yan, huwag na palalain pa. Wala tayong eroplano to support sa barko natin. Meron silang [other claimant countries] submarine at missile gunboats, meron silang long-range missiles, tayo wala nun," he added. (Our ship should not go into the disputed area. It’s okay to stay within our EEZ; it’s there and cannot turn back but don’t aggravate the situation by going beyond. Our ship has no air cover while the other claimant-countries have their submarines and missile gunboats, and even long-range missiles — all of which we lack.) Aside from the Philippines and China, four other economies are claiming ownership of the Spratlys – Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan. — MRT/LBG, GMA News