SENATOR Alan Peter Cayetano has called for an immediate diplomatic resolution amid the rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
“No one wins in the present situation. China doesn’t win. The Philippines doesn’t win,” said Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.
Cayetano, who served as the Secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) under the Duterte administration, emphasized the importance of avoiding political issues amidst the conflict with China and focusing on unity to achieve peace.
“Sometimes our approach gets politicized. Discussions about the West Philippine Sea should be free from politics; we should be united on this issue,” said Cayetano.
Tensions between the Coast Guards of China and the Philippines heightened last year.
In the most recent incident, a Philippine Navy soldier lost a thumb when the Chinese Coast Guard rammed Philippine boats.
Reports also included the use of tear gas and sirens near the BRP Sierra Madre, an old warship serving as a Philippine military outpost in the area.
Cayetano agreed with the statement of Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino that the National Security Council (NSC) should convene to formulate possible responses to China’s aggressive actions.
“My suggestion to the President is to continue the National Security Council as soon as possible to discuss what happened last Monday,” stated Sen. Francis Tolentino.
Cayetano also expressed hope that the conflict would not escalate further like the situation between the United States and Cuba in the 1960s.
“I do know that we are entering the point of brinkmanship. It could get much worse.”
“I still hope that there will be high-level talks between the two presidents and I hope that there will be a high-level mini-NSC talk free from politics,” stated Sen. Francis Tolentino.
On the other hand, Senator Imee Marcos has submitted a resolution calling for a Senate investigation into the latest incident at Ayungin Shoal on June 17.
In Senate Resolution 1055, Marcos seeks to examine the incident to determine what more the government can do to protect servicemen and conduct resupply missions there.
The resolution also includes finding solutions to more effectively assert the country’s sovereign rights in the disputed territories of the South China Sea.
“This heat is becoming alarming. The escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea as well as in the Taiwan Strait are very troubling, and I am deeply concerned that this could result in more violent incidents in the near future,” according to Sen. Imee Marcos, Chair, Committee on Foreign Relations.
