In debate mode, Roque challenges Carpio, Del Rosario

Malacañang is still raring to engage retired senior associate justice Antonio Carpio in a debate on the West Philippine Sea issue, but insists on sparing President Duterte from public discourse. “Debate mode set. Bring it on,” said presidential spokesman Harry Roque Jr., who is standing in for the President if the debate pushes through.

He even said he was willing to take on both Carpio and Duterte critic, former Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) secretary Albert del Rosario, by himself.

“The Palace reiterates its challenge to the former Justice – and former Department of Foreign Affairs secretary Albert del Rosario, if and when he wishes to join, in tandem with former Justice Carpio – to set once and for all the record straight at their designated time and venue. I will face him/them,” Roque said.

In his challenge, the Palace spokesman said it is not “pointless” to debate how China seized Scarborough Shoal from the Philippines during the time of former president Benigno Aquino III, and that China also occupied Mischief Reef during the Ramos

administration.

“We disagree with the assertion of Mr. Carpio when he said it is pointless to debate about Scarborough Shoal and Mischief Reef for he is the one who accused the President of committing grand estafa, reminding the Chief Executive of the 2016 presidential debate where Scarborough Shoal was mentioned,” Roque said.

“This, and other issues raised by the retired magistrate, such as the President’s alleged setting aside of the 2016 Arbitral Award, the fishing agreement, among others, could be the parameters of the debate,” he added.

Duterte backed out from what could have been a protracted public debate between him and the former magistrate upon the advice of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and some members of his Cabinet who thought they were unequal in public stature.

Roque, a lawyer, was designated to take Duterte’s place in the debate, which critics saw as a spin to divert public attention from the President to his spokesman.

If Carpio even insisted on facing off with the President, Roque said the chance of that happening is in June 2022, presumably after Duterte finishes his term in office.

Addressing the public, he said: “The Philippines maintains its claim in the contested areas of the West Philippine Sea. We consistently assert and exercise our sovereignty and sovereign rights.”

‘Treasonous’ stance

Another critic of the administration, Sen. Leila de Lima, described as getting troublesome, if not downright treasonous, the remark of President Duterte that the arbitral ruling on the Philippine-China dispute on the West Philippine Sea is a worthless piece of paper.

“This is getting troublesome, if not downright treasonous! More and more, Duterte has been parroting China’s talking points on the WPS issue. First, he said we cannot enforce the Hague ruling. Then he claimed that it was just a piece of paper to be thrown in the trash,” De Lima said.

De Lima said that throughout his term, Duterte has always assumed a defeatist attitude towards our rights over the West Philippine Sea.

“He said that our claims are disputed. It is not. He said that we cannot do anything. We can,” she said.

The senator said that with the exception of China and Duterte, the whole world recognizes the Philippines’ rights to the West Philippine Sea, citing the sentiments of the United States, Australia and Europe.

“We need to strengthen our alliance with countries who observe the rule of law and whose interests align with ours. They already recognize our rights over the WPS under UNCLOS,” she said.

De Lima also took issue with Senate President Vicente Sotto III’s pronouncement that the Philippines should either negotiate or go to war with China, saying that Beijing should not “drive our choices.”

“If we negotiate, it should be on our own terms and in affirmance of our rights. That is the only way to cancel China’s hegemony over our region,” she said.

“The West Philippine Sea represents food, energy, security and so many resources for Filipinos now and the generations to come. For Duterte to casually dismiss our rights is treason against our country and our future,” she added.