PRESIDENT Aquino confirmed on Friday his determination to push adoption and early enforcement by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) of a binding Code of Conduct covering conflicting claims over potentially resource-rich territories on the West Philippine Sea.
“Syempre, sa nalalapit na pagpunta natin sa Malaysia para sa Asean [meeting] uulitin natin ang panawagan natin para mabuo na ang tinatawag na Code of Conduct,” Aquino told reporters, baring plans to raise the sea-row issue at the upcoming Asian Leaders Summit in Kuala Lumpur on April 26 and 27.
Aquino recalled that efforts to enforce such a Code to ensure peaceful resolution of territorial disputes in the region began way back in 2002, but he lamented that it has yet to bear desired results.
“Noong 2002 pa kasi sinubukang gawin iyon, hindi nagawa; lumabas iyong DOC [Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea], pati iyong DOC. Sa ating pananaw, mukhang naba-violate na ngayon kaya lalong imperative na itulak natin ang pagsulong nitong Code of Conduct,” the President said.
Aquino added: “At sana, umusbong na magkaroon na ng start ang formal talks sa pagpo-formulate nitong Code of Conduct.”
He explained that he was impelled to do this because of the alarming rate and magnitude of China’s reclamation activities in Philippine claimed territory, which he deems brazen violations of the existing Declaration of Code of Conduct earlier adopted by Asean and China itself.
Aquino disclosed this a day after Australian Ambassador Bill Twedell also weighed in on the issue voicing a series of concerns over reported ongoing Chinese reclamation activities in disputed territories.
“We will just remind them [Asean leaders],” Aquino said explaining: “Ipapaalala lang natin, siyempre, dapat mabahala tayo doon sa nangyayaring [Chinese] reclamation nga-yon—No. 1.
Aquino, at the same time, aired apprehensions over Chinese authorities’ imposition of a fishing ban even on waters covered by the Philippine exclusive economic zone.
“Dati, sinabihan tayo na mayroon silang mga patakaran, lalo na sa fishing na hindi lang nila ini-enforce. Kapag in-enforce nila, parang kailangang humingi na tayo [ng] permiso para mangisda sa ating exclusive economic zone,” Aquino said.
The President, however, held out hopes that “goodwill” would continue to prevail over claimants to enable them to resolve the conflict through “peaceful means in conformity with International law.”