MALACAÑANG clarified Thursday, July 25, that the Philippines does not recognize China's "possession" of most features in the South China Sea.
"Of course not. We're not [recognizing China's claim to the disputed sea]," Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said when asked if the Duterte government acknowledges China's position on the South China Sea disputes.
Panelo issued the clarification after Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said earlier Thursday that the Palace should retract its statement on China's possession of the disputed area as it will impair the Philippines's stance on the maritime row with Beijing.
Panelo had repeatedly insisted in his previous interviews that China has apparently taken control of the disputed waters because of its military presence on its man-made islands in the area.
He defended these remarks and clarified that he meant to say China was in "constructive possession" of the disputed area.
"They are in constructive possession, by reason of the installation of military camps, airport. Installation whatever. In other words, they can do something to protect what they claim to be their territory," he said.
"As far as they are concerned, it's theirs. It's theirs. Bakit ba hindi natin maintindihan 'yun? Paulit-ulit na sinasabi ni Presidente, according to them, they own it. As far as they are concerned, legally, it's theirs. Tayo naman, as far as we are concerned, it's also legally ours. Kaya nga nagkakaroon ng conflict kasi both of us are claiming," he added.
(As far as they are concerned, it's theirs. It's theirs. Why can't we understand that? The President has repeatedly said that according to them, they own it. As far as they are concerned, legally, it's theirs. But for us, as far as we are concerned, it's also legally ours. That's why there is conflict because both of us are claiming.)
"As far as we are concerned, we've been ruled to be owning that portion of that territory or we have exclusive right to particular territories," Panelo said.
He was referring to the July 2016 ruling of the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration which said that Beijing has no legal basis to claim ownership of the disputed seas under international law.
The arbitral court ruled in favor of the Philippines, saying that Manila has exclusive sovereign rights over some features in the South China Sea and that Beijing's "nine-dash line" is invalid.
In its decision, the Permanent Court of Arbitration noted that "certain sea areas are within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, because those areas are not overlapped by any possible entitlement of China."
President Rodrigo Duterte, however, has refused to invoke the arbitral ruling so as not to jeopardize improved relations with China.
During his fourth State of the Nation Address (Sona) on Monday, July 22, Duterte maintained that he could not afford to go to war with China because Beijing is already in possession of the South China Sea and has continued to boost its defense capabilities in the contested waters.
On Wednesday, July 25, Panelo once again backed the President's remarks, saying that China enjoys an advantage due to its "legal and constructive possession" of the South China Sea. (SunStar Philippines)