PH needs strategy in WPS; presence of Malaysia, Vietnam also concerning — Cayetano

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano in this photo taken when he was secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs. File photo from the Department of Foreign Affairs

MANILA,  Philippines — Senator Alan Peter Cayetano called on the Marcos administration on Tuesday to come up with a “national strategy” in the face of the latest incident between the Philippines and Chinese coast guards in the disputed West Philippine Sea (WPS).

This as Cayetano also expressed concerns over the growing military presence of other claimants of the territory, particularly Malaysia and Vietnam.

Cayetano, who was the country’s top diplomat  during the previous administration, noted that other claimants in the WPS have their  own strategies — some are diplomatic while others are strengthening their armed forces and alliances.

“Ang naging problema ng Pilipinas ay pabago-bago ang ating strategy because every administration hindi lang nagbabago yung strategy pero may wild swings  tayo from being very pro to be very anti etcetera,” he said  in an interview at the Senate.

(The problem of the Philippines is that our strategy is constantly changing because every administration, which changes, also changed strategies, but we have wild swings from being very pro to be very anti etcetera.)

The senator then mentioned the Philippines’ seeming focus on China when there are other claimants also with rising presence in the disputed territory, which have become concerning.

“Actually yung nakikita nyo lang yung conflict natin with China but yung lumalaki din na presence, including military presence ng Malaysia at Vietnam for me is also concerning,” he said.

(Actually, you only see our conflict with China but the growing military presence of Malaysia and Vietnam for me is also concerning.)

And compared to other claimants, Cayetano lamented that the country has the smallest budgets and facilities in the area.

“So, if theres one thing that this administration can do is really come up with a strategy,” he then said.

“There really has to be a national strategy and we should ask the question nga whether these exercises with other countries will actually help  or aggravate the situation near and long term sa West Philippine Sea,” he added.

During the time of then President Rodrigo Duterte, Cayetano said  the country did not lose a  square inch of territory because  both the Philippines and China had drawn some “red lines” in the disputed  sea.

“So I’m not saying the Duterte formula will work now… Ang sinasabi ko ano nga ba ang strategy and how do we react to things like this and how do we draw a red line, how do we tell them in the most effective ways, we wont take this [What I’m saying is that what really is our strategy…],” he stressed.

JPV