FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano on Wednesday refused to confirm the alleged presence of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea, but said that the situation in the area “remains stable.”
“I can’t confirm nor deny [the presence of Chinese ships] because this is part of the discussions at the command center…While I can’t tell you the details, I will tell you that communication is there. There are reasons for certain presence of certain vessels but the situation in the area is very stable,” Cayetano said.
The country's top diplomat also said that the Department of Foreign Affairs is notified every time China navigates Philippine territory.
“Consistent 'yan na 'pag sila lumapit, may message 'yan na pinapadala whether [through] our department or the military, that they’re encroaching our territory…that’s standard for everyone,” he said.
Magdalo Partylist Representative Gary Alejano revealed on Tuesday the “suspicious massing up of Chinese Navy and Coast Guard and maritime militias north of Pag-asa Island.”
Alejano also said Filipino fishermen continued to be harassed in West Philippine Sea by Chinese Navy or Coast Guard.
But Cayetano downplayed the report and said that even vessels of United States (US) regularly pass through the Philippine seas.
“[T]he presence of ships alone does not mean anything… Let me ask congressman Alejano, ‘Why were we not concern about the US doing freedom of navigation?’ Ang lalaki ng ships nila. You know why? Because they are allies. So if we keep looking at China as the enemy, every time na may movement sila, masyado tayong nag re-react," he said.
Cayetano said that the Department of Foreign Affairs is “taking upon itself to do all diplomatic actions necessary” whenever they receive reports on activities of claimants to the South China Sea.
Keeping mum on the issue, he added, will give the countries “more room to negotiate.”
“[I]n diplomatic negotiations, the less that you use the microphone or megaphone, the more room you have to negotiate…It’s an internationally accepted exception to the freedom of information, yung diplomatic negotiations,” he said.
China and Philippines returned to the negotiating table after a bitter legal battle over their overlapping claims to the South China Sea. (SunStar Philippines)