From the Newsrooms: March 3 to 9, 2024

Marcos joins ASEAN-Australia special summit; spotlights maritime and security concerns in WPS

THIS WEEK the news followed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as he traveled to Australia to attend the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Australia summit from March 4 to 6. The Australian government hosted this year’s special summit in the city of Melbourne, to underscore among other issues roiling the region, maritime and security concerns in the South China Sea, an area which has been re-named by the Philippines as the West Philippine Sea (WPS) for which the country had gained legitimate claim in 2016 by the Permanent Court of Arbitration. 

In Australia, it’s been a stalemate of speeches. The Philippines may have used the word aggressor to describe the incidents of the Chinese Coast Guard engaged in dangerous maneuvers; but the president observed the maximum diplomatic courtesies in maintaining its determination to defend its sovereignty in the troubled waters, including those defined as their exclusive economic zone. But no other country dared to clearly state its support for the aggrieved, nor identify the venue in which the countries concerned could discuss peaceful means more extensively and with greater resolve.

On March 4, speaking at the sidelines of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, Marcos engaged an audience at the Lowly Institute policy think tank articulating his duty to protect the country’s territory against China’s aggression. Business World said that Marcos articulated his willingness to cooperate with China on matters where interests align, disagree on areas where views differ but would also “push back” when the country’s sovereign rights were ignored.

In a separate maritime forum in Melbourne, Manila Standard quoted Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo asking China to “stop harassing us.” Manalo spoke after a series of dangerous maneuvers by China targeted Filipino troops stationed in the Ayungin Shoal in the WPS and other disturbing incidents in Philippine waters, all the while emphasizing that the. The Philippines seeks a peaceful resolution to its maritime dispute. On February 12, a few weeks before the summit in Australia, Chinese warships blocked a Philippine vessel in Bajo Masinloc.  On February 17, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources expressed concern over allegations by Filipino fishermen of the use of cyanide in the waters which was later determined to have been done by Taiwanese. On February 26, the Philippine Navy reported the presence of Chinese research ships at the Benham Rise.

As Marcos and Manalo were delivering their speeches in Melbourne, on March 5, Philippine media reported new cases of harassment by the China Coast Guard against four Philippine vessels during a resupply mission to deliver to Filipino troops assigned to patrol the territory.  The BRP Sindangan and another Philippine ship were deployed to support the boats carrying replacement soldiers and supplies to the Filipino troops stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre, a PH vessel used as a military outpost at the Ayungin Shoal. 

Reports quoted the statement of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea about these attacks. Primetime news programs 24 Oras, TV Patrol, and Frontline Pilipinas, showed videos of the incidents during their newscasts.

According to media reports, a Chinese Coast Guard ship caused an “intentional” collision with the BRP Sindangan causing “minor structural damage” to the vessel. Later, two Chinese ships fired water cannons at the Unaizah May 4, which shattered its windshield and injured four Filipino crew. Frontline Pilipinas whose reporter was on board showed a close-up shot of the water hitting the chartered boat. 

The media said that one of the Chinese ships also collided with Unaizah May 4, which caused the boat to turn back to the shore without delivering the provisions; while another boat, Unaizah May 1 which was sailing alongside was able to unload its cargo to the BRP Siera Madre.

Frontline Tonight said in its report on March 6 that the Philippines had already filed a democratic protest against China. China also filed the same calling the Philippines, a “troublemaker.”

A report of the PTV4’s Rise and Shine Pilipinas noted that since Marcos was elected in 2022 the Philippines has already filed a total of 142 democratic protests against China; 9 from January 1 to February 28 this year – all having little effect. 

Philippine media regularly carry China’s openly hostile responses. Recently, spokesperson Counselor Ji Lingpeng of the Chinese Embassy relayed China’s statement on March 4 which asked the Philippines to stop projecting China as an aggressor. The statement was a response to the remarks by Philippine Ambassador to Washington D.C. Jose Manuel Romualdez in a diplomatic gathering in Makati Philippines emphasizing that the Philippines was facing “aggression” in its territorial dispute over the WPS. In the same meeting, Romualdez said he was anxious that one major incident in the WPS would trigger the Philippines to invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the Philippines and the United States.

In Melbourne on March 6, Marcos urged ASEAN members and Australia during the summit’s Leader’s Retreat on March 6 to “exercise boldness upholding the rules-based international order and multilateralism, especially in the face of deliberate efforts by others to denigrate, deny and even violate the international law.”

GMA News Online highlighted Marcos’ remark, noting that he has articulated the official position that the Philippines would not yield its sovereign territory and its commitment to defend its rights within the parameters of international law. 

Rappler reported that Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said at the same event that Australia and the ASEAN must work together to turn their natural connection into more practical cooperation on marine sustainability and security. The report quoted Albanese on Australia’s commitment to working with the ASEAN to “make sure the principles of sovereignty, territorial integrity, equality, and independence are upheld.”

The Philippine Star also reiterated Albanese’s statement which underlined the need to make sure that any activity in the disputed waters lessens the tensions, not add to it.

The Philippine Star reported on March 7 that the ASEAN and Australia leaders called for restraint on the issue of the South China Sea. In a joint statement issued after the summit, the participating leaders requested any country to refrain from doing unilateral actions that may “endanger peace” in the South China Sea/WPS. The statement also added that the group recognized the benefits of “having the South China Sea as a sea of peace, stability, and prosperity.”

The BusinessMirror on March 7 reported that Marcos, coming back from the summit, said that he would not invoke the country’s MDT with the US despite China’s escalating aggression. The President has reiterated that the country will be filing necessary democratic protests against China instead.

Meanwhile, in other news:

• The Philippine National Police relaxed its policy on gun ownership on March 5 allowing civilians to own semi-automatic rifles. The amended implementing rules and regulations of the Republic Act No. 10591 or the Comprehensive Law in Firearms and Ammunitions allowing civilians to own long firearms was signed in 2018. Media reported that several members of the Senate and the House expressed their opposition to this proposal highlighting the need to revisit the law.
  
• Senate panel on women headed by Senator Risa Hontiveros sought the arrest of Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) leader Apollo Quiboloy on March 6 after he failed to attend, yet again, the panel’s investigation on the human trafficking and sexual molestation charges filed against him by former members of his congregation. Quiboloy had gone into hiding after receiving a report from an “unnamed source” in February that the US operatives are after him. Quiboloy was indicted on a US federal court in November 2021 for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion and sex trafficking of children; sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; conspiracy; and bulk cash smuggling.” 
  
  Media also reported that Senator Robin Padilla started a signature campaign amongst fellow senators to oppose the move to hold Quiboloy in contempt and arrest the church leader. As of March 8, Senators Ronald “Bato” de la Rosa, Christopher “Bong” Go, Imee Marcos and Cynthia Villar had signed the objection letter initiated by Padilla. Inquirer reported that JV Ejercito had withdrawn his signature “after thoughtful contemplation.” Before withdrawing, Ejercito trended in social media with netizens condemning his signing the letter to protect Quiboloy.
  
  In a related news, Quiboloy-owned Sonshine Media Network International announced on March 8, that Former President Rodrigo Duterte has been named as the new administrator of the KJC properties. Duterte described Quiboloy as his spiritual adviser. The cult leader and the former president had always been close friends.