The West Philippine Sea is ours
Attending the virtual townhall meeting of the Movement for Good Governance (MGG) on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) reminded me of several biblical characters. There is Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio who like St. John the Baptist is a voice crying out in the wilderness. He has been consistently and without fear advocating that our right of ownership over the West Philippine Sea be upheld and respected. Our struggle though is like the encounter between David and Goliath. China is the biggie, while the Philippines is the small David. Just recently, a Chinese Navy vessel pointed a radar gun at a Philippine Navy ship near the Philippine-occupied Rizal Reef in the Kalayaan Island. To Secretary Locsin’s credit, he kled a diplomatic protest over the incident.
The West Philippine Sea is home to a treasure of resources. Justice Carpio mentions that it is home to 12% of the ksh catch all over the world. Plus, methane hydrate, the fuel of the future is in great abundance. And this could be a major reason why China would like to claim ownership over a treasure that is ours. But Justice Carpio would not allow that. Unceasingly and without losing steam, he has preached to the Gentiles. And why should the Gentiles care? Because the WPS holds a key to our future especially to a valuable source of energy. But more than ownership of economic resources, kghting for sovereignty over a territory that is ours is our birth right, our privilege and our responsibility.
Ownership of the West Philippine Sea has been a Solomonic decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration. Presiding over two women claiming ownership of a child, the Court declared that the Philippines has exclusive right over the West Philippines Sea and that China’s “nine-dash-line” is invalid. The nine nine-dash line refers to China’s vaguely dekned historical maritime rights’ claim over 90% of the WPS. (Lui Zhen, South China Morning
Post, July 12, 2016). The Tribunal also found that “China had violated the Philippines’ sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone by: 1) interfering with Philippine kshing and petroleum exploration, 2) constructing artikcial islands, and, 3) failing to prevent Chinese kshermen from kshing in the zone.”
To the total disregard of the Court’s decision, China has been constructing structures over the WPS, some of which host missiles that could reach the Philippines in minutes. Although Justice Carpio is reluctant to see the danger posed by these missiles, I experience goose bumps just imagining what could be possible. Justice Carpio allays our fears by citing that the Philippines has a Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States that binds the latter to support us in case of external aggression. However, my fear of war has not been allayed and I see the missiles as a grave threat to our security. Perhaps, I have been watching too many movies. Or it could be the fear of uncertainty over our national leadership.
Despite the lack of support from the national government, Justice Carpio exhorts us to join him in his advocacy. The key is to build a constituency among the Filipinos especially the young, to take serious interest become more informed about the WPS so that we can continuously advocate for what is right. And since our neighbors such as Malaysia, and Indonesia, are equally concerned about being denied the right to freely sail over the seas, we should join forces in patrolling the WPS. Justice Carpio commends the Philippine Navy for courageously patrolling the WPS and sending a signal to China, that David has its might because it is kghting for what is right.
And gauging from the more than 50,000 who viewed the townhall meeting, our hopes are high that many of us have taken our right over the West Philippine Sea to heart.
mguevara@synergeia.org.ph