Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile: Don’t touch China. FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile on Thursday advised President Aquino not to touch on the Philippines’ stand-off with China in Scarborough (Panatag) shoal when he delivers his State of the Nation Address, or SONA, on Monday.
“If I were the President I would not touch it in my SONA. That is a sensitive national security problem, Enrile told reporters in a regular media forum at the Senate.
“It’s better not to talk about it. Don’t talk about a problem that your enemy has an interest on,” he added.
“I will not advocate back-channeling. That’s dangerous. You know, back-channeling with a giant, is dangerous,” Enrile said.
Instead, the Philippines should improve alliances with “friends” in order to prevent any more incursions from China.
“You involve your friends in order to hold the giant at bay,” Enrile said. However, when asked if the friends he is referring to are member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Enrile answered: “Whoever is your friend.”
The Philippines is currently involved in a stand-off with China after the Asian superpower intruded into the Scarborough shoal in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), which the country claims as part of its exclusive economic zone.