MR. PRESIDENT, DEAR COLLEAGUES, IT IS MY HONOR TO SPONSOR AND PRINCIPALLY AUTHOR PROPOSED SENATE RESOLUTION NUMBER 256 — TOGETHER WITH SENATE PRESIDENT TITO SOTTO, SENATE PRO TEMPORE PING LACSON, MAJORITY LEADER MIGZ ZUBIRI,
SENATORS ERWIN TULFO, RISA HONTIVEROS, RAFFY TULFO, WIN GATCHALIAN, LOREN LEGARDA, JV EJERCITO, BAM AQUINO, JINGGOY ESTRADA, LITO LAPID, CAMILLE AND MARK VILLAR.
MAY WE ALSO PLACE ON RECORD THAT WHILE THEY HAVE AFFIXED THEIR SIGNATURES TO THIS RESOLUTION THIS DOES NOT MEAN THAT THOSE WHO DID NOT AFFIXED THEIR SIGNATURES ARE OBJETING TO THIS RESOLUTION. PRECISELY WHY ULTIMATELY IN THE END, WHEN WE MOVE TO CALL FOR A VOTE ON THIS RESOLUTION THAT THERE WE WILL DETERMINE WHO AMONG OUR COLLEAGUES WILL SUPPORT IT OR NOT. INTRODUCING THIS MEASURE DOES NOT MEAN THAT THOSE WHO DID NOT INTRODUCE THIS MEASURE ARE OPPOSED TO THIS MEASURE. JUST FOR THE RECORD, MR. PRESIDENT.
MR. PRESIDENT, DEAR COLLEAGUES, OUR CONSTITUTION MANDATES US TO PROTECT THE REPUBLIC’S SOVEREIGNTY, TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY, POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE, AND DIGNITY. IN FULFILLING THIS MANDATE, WHEN WE — SENATORS, REPRESENTATIVES, THE COAST GUARD, OR ANY PUBLIC OFFICIAL WHO SWORE AN OATH — SPEAK ON THE WEST PHILIPPINE SEA AND ON THE ARBITRAL AWARD, WE ARE NOT MERELY EXPRESSING OUR OPINIONS; WE ARE CARRYING OUT OUR SOLEMN DUTY TO UPHOLD AND DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION, TO DEFEND THE NATION, AND UPHOLD THE RULE OF LAW.
RECENTLY, AN OFFICIAL OF THE CHINESE EMBASSY ISSUED PUBLIC STATEMENTS — IN UNDIPLOMATIC AND DISRESPECTFUL LANGUAGE — DIRECTLY ATTACKING INCUMBENT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, INCLUDING MYSELF, FOR POSITIONS WE TOOK IN DEFENSE OF PHILIPPINE SOVEREIGNTY AND MARITIME RIGHTS. WE TOOK BECAUSE WE WERE UPHOLDING AND DEFENDING THE CONSTITUTION.
THE STATEMENTS CROSSED A LINE: FROM LEGITIMATE EXPRESSION OF A FOREIGN STATE’S VIEWS INTO INTERFERENCE IN OUR DOMESTIC DEMOCRATIC DEBATE.
BY ADOPTING THIS RESOLUTION, THE SENATE TELLS CHINA, AND THE WORLD, THAT THIS INSTITUTION WILL NOT BE COWED. THAT THIS INSTITUTION WILL DEFEND OUR NATION’S SOVEREIGNTY, THAT THIS INSTITUTION WILL DEFEND AND UPHOLD OUR CONSTITUTION AS WE SWORE TO DEFEND AND UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION. THAT WE STAND AS ONE IN SAYING: NO FOREIGN MISSION MAY DICTATE WHAT FILIPINO SENATORS CAN OR CANNOT SAY IN THE LAWFUL PERFORMANCE OF THEIR OFFICIAL DUTIES.
WE MAY HOLD DIFFERING VIEWS ON MANY MATTERS, YET IN THIS WE STAND TOGETHER: WE UPHOLD OUR OFFICIALS WHEN THEY SPEAK ON BEHALF OF OUR NATION, AND WE SAFEGUARD OUR INSTITUTIONS WHEN THEY ARE DISPARAGED BY OUTSIDERS.
SECOND, THIS RESOLUTION IS ADDRESSED TO OUR OWN DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS. WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT D.F.A. LAST NIGHT ISSUED A STATEMENT EXPRESSING “SERIOUS CONCERNS” OVER THE ESCALATING EXCHANGES AND HAS MADE “FIRM REPRESENTATIONS” TO THE CHINESE SIDE.
THIS ACTION RESPONDS DIRECTLY TO OUR CALL IN THE “WHEREAS” CLAUSES OF THIS RESOLUTION THAT THE D.F.A. ENGAGE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA “IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL LAW AND ESTABLISHED PRINCIPLES OF STATE RELATIONS.”
BUT WE MUST ALSO NOTE: WHILE CHINA HAS SUMMONED OUR AMBASSADOR IN BEIJING OVER REMARKS MADE BY PHILIPPINE OFFICIALS AT HOME, IT IS THEIR EMBASSY (HERE) THAT HAS PUBLICLY DISPARAGED OUR LEGISLATORS, OUR OFFICIALS OF THE ARM FORCES, OUR OFFICIALS OF THE COAST GUARD, AND QUESTIONED OUR MOTIVES, AND SOUGHT TO RESTRICT WHAT WE MAY SAY IN OUR OWN TERRITORY.
THAT IMBALANCE MUST NOT BE ALLOWED.
IT IS INCUMBENT UPON THE D.F.A. TO PROTECT THE COUNTRY’S SOVEREIGN RIGHTS AND STANDING IN THE COMMUNITY OF NATIONS. DO MORE. GO FURTHER.
THIRD, OUR RESOLUTION ADDRESSES CHINA’S EMBASSY IN MANILA.
WE KNOW THIS PATTERN. THE HARSH PUBLIC STATEMENTS AGAINST PHILIPPINE OFFICIALS ARE PART OF A WIDER STRATEGY: TO HARASS AND TO INTIMIDATE THOSE WHO DEFEND OUR MARITIME RIGHTS; TO DISCREDIT OUR LEGAL VICTORY BEFORE THE ARBITRAL TRIBUNAL; UNDER UNCLOS AND TO REVERSE THE REALITY THAT THEIR NINE‑DASH-LINE CLAIM AN ABSURD POSITION OF CLAIMING 90% OF THE WEST PHILIPPINE SEA AND THE SOUTH CHINA SEA OR 500,000 SQUARE KILOMETERS OF OUR EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE. WE CANNOT ALLOW THIS TO PASS.
AT SEA, THIS STRATEGY MANIFESTS AS DANGEROUS MANEUVERS, WATER CANNON ATTACKS, RAMMING, AND BLOCKADES AGAINST OUR VESSELS AND ATTACKING OUR FISHERMEN, HARASSING THEM IN THE WEST PHILIPPINE SEA.
IN WORDS, IT MANIFESTS AS PROPAGANDA, DISINFORMATION, AND NOW DIRECT ATTACKS AGAINST SENATORS, COAST GUARD OFFICERS, AND OTHER PUBLIC SERVANTS.
WE KNOW THEIR GOAL: TO MAKE THE PHILIPPINES DOUBT ITSELF, TO MAKE THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY DOUBT THE RULINGS, TO EMPLOY THE DIVIDE AND RULE STRATEGY BY DIVIDING OUR PEOPLE AND MAKING OUR PEOPLE FEARFUL, AND TO PRESSURE US INTO ACCEPTING SO-CALLED ARRANGEMENTS THAT QUIETLY ERODE WHAT WE LAWFULLY POSSESS.
SO WE SAY THIS WITH FIRMNESS BUT WITHOUT HATRED: THIS IS NOT THE JOB OF A DIPLOMATIC MISSION.
THE ROLE OF A DIPLOMATIC MISSION IS, ABOVE ALL, TO PRACTICE DIPLOMACY: TO ASSIST NATIONS IN OVERCOMING DISPUTES, TO CLARIFY, AND TO BRIDGE DIFFERENCES. IT IS NOT TO PROVOKE, NOT TO DISPARAGE, AND CERTAINLY NOT TO INSULT AND THREATEN THOSE WHO SPEAK FOR THEIR COUNTRY.
DESPITE EVERYTHING, IT IS WITH OPTIMISM THAT WE EXPECT THE EMBASSY OF CHINA TO RETURN TO THAT PROPER ROLE.
THE ARBITRAL AWARD WILL NOT DISAPPEAR. THE NINE-DASH LINE HAS BEEN REJECTED. THAT REALITY CANNOT BE REVERSED BY TROLLING, BY INSULTS, OR BY PRESSURE.
ACCEPT THAT THE INTERNATIONAL LAW, PARTICULARLY THE UNITED NATIONS CONVENTION ON THE LAW OF THE SEA OF WHICH THE CHINA IS SIGNATORY TO, APPLIES TO ALL MEMBER STATES. THAT ALL PARTIES NEED TO WORK TOWARD MECHANISMS THAT RESPECT EVERY CLAIMANT-COUNTRY’S SOVEREIGN RIGHTS AND LEGITIMATE INTERESTS.
WE ALSO THANK THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY FOR THEIR STEADFAST SUPPORT OF THE RULE OF LAW AFFIRMING THE ARBITRAL AWARD AND THE PHILIPPINES’ SOVEREIGN RIGHTS OVER OUR EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE. FOR CONSISTENTLY CALLING OUT CHINA ON ITS ESCALATING AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR IN THE WEST PHILIPPINE SEA.
PERO HIGIT SA LAHAT, ANG RESOLUSYONG ITO AY PARA SA BUONG SAMBAYANAN.
SA ATING MGA MANGINGISDA NA NAAPEKTUHAN, TUWING NAGSASALITA KAMI SA BULWAGANG ITO TUNGKOL SA ATING KARAPATAN SA ILALIM NG PANDAIGDIGANG BATAS, KAYO ANG AMING IPINAGTATANGGOL. IPINAGTATANGGOL ANG KARAPATAN NINYONG MANGISDA NG MALAYA SA ATING KARAGATAN NANG WALANG TAKOT.
SA ATING COAST GUARD AT ARMED FORCES: KASAMA NINYO ANG SENADO NA NANININDIGAN. SALUDO KAMI SA INYONG TAPANG. AT HINDI NAMIN KAYO PABABAYAAN.
AT SA LAHAT NG ATING MGA KABABAYAN, LALO NA SA MGA KABATAAN: MAHALAGA ANG ATING RELASYON SA TSINA PARA SA ATING KAPAYAPAAN, SA PRESYO NG PAGKAIN, SA TRABAHO. KAYA NAMAN BATAS AT DIPLOMASYA ANG ATING PINIPILIT NA IPAIRAL.
PERO ALAM NATING HINDI PAG-AATUBILI ANG SAGOT SA MGA BULLY. HINDI NABIBILI NG PANANAHIMIK ANG KAPAYAPAAN. AT HINDI NATATAGUYOD ANG BATAS NG PAG-AAMO-AMO.
RESPETO. PAGGALANG. ‘YAN ANG PINAKAMAHUSAY NA SANDIGAN NG ISANG MATATAG AT MAAYOS NA RELASYON NG DALAWANG MGA BANSA. ITO ANG GUSTONG TIYAKIN NG RESOLUSYONG ITO.
BUT BEYOND THIS RESOLUTION, WE PROPOSE A WAY FORWARD. AS THIS YEAR’S CHAIR OF ASEAN, THE PHILIPPINES HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP CONCLUDE A RULE-BASED, FAIR, WORKABLE, AND LADDERIZED MECHANISM ON THE CONDUCT OF PARTIES IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.
WE BELIEVE THAT SUCH CODE OF CONDUCT BE FIRMLY ANCHORED IN INTERNATIONAL LAW, INCLUDING UNCLOS AND THE PRINCIPLES REFLECTED IN THE ARBITRAL AWARD. WE ASK OUR NEIGHBORS, PARTNERS, AND ALLIES: SUPPORT THE PHILIPPINES’ INITIATIVES, SUPPORT ASEAN’S EFFORTS, TO SUPPORT A REGION WHERE DISPUTES ARE MANAGED BY LAW AND DIALOGUE, NOT BY INSULTS, BULLYING, FORCE, AND THREATS.
NGAYON, SA PANAHONG TUMITINDI ANG PANDAIGDIGANG TENSYON, SINISIGURO KO: MAGKAKASANGGA TAYO — SENADO, D.F.A., COAST GUARD, ARMED FORCES, B.FAR, BUONG SAMBAYANANG PILIPINAS. MAGKAKASANGGA TAYO LABAN SA PANG-IINSULTO, LABAN SA PAGBANGGA SA PAG WAWATER CANNON, AT SA PAKIKIPAGHABULAN SA ATING MGA MANGINGISDA AT SUNDALO. IISA TAYO, BILANG ISANG REPUBLIKA, NA NANININDIGAN PARA SA ATING MGA KARAPATAN AT DIGNIDAD.
MR. PRESIDENT, COLLEAGUES,
FOR ALL THESE REASONS, I RESPECTFULLY URGE THE ADOPTION OF SENATE RESOLUTION NUMBER 256. ####