DOJ chief: PH won’t try to ‘inflame’ China on maritime row

The Philippines will not try to “inflame” China even after its victory over the West Philippine Sea at the United Nations (UN) Arbitral Tribunal, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said on Thursday.

“Ganun pa rin ang tack natin (That is still our tack). We will not try to inflame China. We will be just raising the factual situations about the West Philippine Sea vis-a-vis the decision,” Aguirre told Senate reporters when asked about the government’s position on the issue after the National Security Council (NSC) meeting in Malacañang Wednesday.

“I’m sure that we have to go by the decision, although China doesn’t want the decision to be mentioned when there is already a bilateral meeting between the two countries,” he said, confident that the bilateral talks between the two countries would push through.

The Justice Secretary said the Philippines would have to insist on the tribunal decision even if China wanted to be “silent” on it.

“Syempre on our part, we have to mention that; but on China’s part, they would rather be silent on that. Ayaw nila syempre ‘yon. Syempre kung sa atin ang pag-uusap, mas gusto natin (Of course they don’t want it. Of course if it were up to us, we want it),” he said.

Aguirre said the West Philippine Sea issue as well as the South China Sea dispute was just among the top agenda during the NSC, which was presided over by President Rodrigo Duterte. The meeting was also attended by past four leaders —Benigno Aquino III, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Joseph Estrada and Fidel Ramos.

The four past presidents, he said, shared their inputs on how the country should respond to China.

“Their experience, their knowledge about the relations with China are very important. The inputs of President Ramos–even President Aquino and President Arroyo–talagang maganda ang sinabi nila (The input of President Ramos–even President Aquino and President Arroyo–what they said were all excellent). It’s all in connection with our relations with China, how we will respond to China,” Aguirre added. JE/rga

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