Include Del Rosario, Carpio, PH team in bilateral talks with China—Bam

Sen. Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV. INQUIRER.net FILE PHOTO

Sen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV on Friday said “key members” of the Philippine delegation to The Hague, Netherlands who defended the country’s stance over the South China Sea dispute should be part of the team that will be negotiating with China.

“The members of the Philippine delegation to The Hague should be part of the team assigned to bilateral talks with China. These men and women worked hard to achieve this historic victory that underscored our earlier assertion that the disputed territory is ours,” Aquino said in a statement.

READ: Philippines wins arbitration case vs. China over South China Sea

Aquino particularly named former Foreign Affairs chief Albert del Rosario and Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.

“They have proven themselves as experts on the issue. Their experience and know-how is invaluable to the government as they engage in talks with China,” he said.

Aquino made the statement after President Rodrigo Duterte asked former President Fidel Ramos to head the country’s negotiation with China, following the country’s victory in the maritime issues it raised before the Permanent Court of Arbitration.

READ: Duterte asks FVR to head negotiations with China, says ‘war not an option’

“I would like to respectfully ask (Ramos) to go to China and start the talks,” Duterte said in a gathering hosted by his fellow alumni from the San Beda College on Thursday night. “I cannot give you the wherewithal now. I want to consult many people including President Ramos.”

Aquino called the favorable court decision “the best chance for the Philippines to have a favorable outcome in any future multilateral or bilateral talks.”

The UN-backed tribunal last Tuesday ruled that “there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the ‘nine-dash line.’” RAM