MANILA, Philippines – NAPILITAN na ang Pilipinas na idepensa ang sarili nito at igiit ang karapatan dahil sa ilegal na aktibidad ng Tsina sa katubigan ng Pilipinas.
“What is being done to the Philippines is forcible stealing of its rights, sovereign rights, in the exclusive economic zone which the Philippines has the sole right to explore, exploit resources in, by China. And doing this through not only words but through muscle,” ang sinabi ni Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. sa isang panayam.
Tinukoy ng Kalihim ang ilegal na aktibidad ng Tsina sa West Philippine Sea kung saan patuloy na sumasalakay ang Chinese maritime forces.
Ito ang sinasabing ‘offshoot’ ng Chinese enactment sa maritime law na umaangkin sa halos lahat ng katubigan sa South China Sea (SCS) bilang internal waters ng Tsina. China.
“So what I’m trying to say right now is for the Philippines, what China is doing makes the Philippines, compels the Philippines to defend itself, assert its rights against China,” ang sinabi ng Kalihim.
“So they have themselves to blame. If we are choosing the side of the right, the correct, not the physical right, but the correct side, the correct path, to use their words, take the right path and correct route,” aniya pa rin.
Tinuran pa ni Teodoro na tinatangka ng Tsina na bulabugin ang bansa sa pamamagitan ng “trying to change narratives, trying to subvert our domestic economy, trying to influence others not to side with the Philippines.”
Kabilang na aniya irto ang pagsasabi sa buong mundo na ang 2016 Arbitral Award ay isa lamang “a scrap of paper.”
Ang 2016 Arbitral Ruling ay kung saan idineklara ng Permanent Court of Arbitration na ang nine-dash-line ng Tsina ay walang legal na basehan. Kris Jose