PRESIDENT Aquino is not heeding the suggestion of senators for him to convene the National Security Council (NSC), preferring to let a Cabinet cluster—composed of the Armed Forces and the departments of National Defense and of Foreign Affairs—handle the issues arising from increasing tensions with China at the West Philippine Sea.
“The [Cabinet] security cluster, I believe, is adequate, together with the legal cluster. And iyong mga minumungkahi nila ginawa na po namin,” Aquino told reporters at the sidelines of a Balik-Eskwela Program he attended in Marikina on Monday.
The President clarified that he is not averse to convening an NSC meeting, where he would be sitting with Congress leaders and former presidents, to tackle the China aggression issue, recalling having done so in the past.
“We did invite…. Yes, we convened the National Security Council, if I remember correctly, President [Joseph] Estrada and President [Fidel] Ramos were present when we were discussing this issue,” he said.
“Iyong sa arbitration, I am very clear in my memory that then-Senate President [Juan Ponce] Enrile and Speaker of the House [Feliciano] Belmonte were also present during a discussion, parang modified National Security Council.”
Aquino said that even the members of the judiciary were invited, but opted to skip it. “Now, we also invited members of the judiciary for their inputs,” Aquino added, but did not mention having invited his immediate predecessor, detained former President Gloria Arroyo, who is on hospital arrest awaiting trial on graft charges.
Aquino, however, disclosed that the Palace invitation was turned down by judiciary officials. “Sabi nila they declined because it [case] might come before their salas for review.”
“So, we respect that, pero this has not… Iyong all of these decisions, although I am supposed to be the main architect for foreign policy, we have tried to get as many voices from the different branches of government to have different perspectives and come up with the best solution to this problem,” he said.
Meanwhile, Philippine aircraft will continue to fly their usual routes over disputed reefs on the South China Sea, defying China’s challenges to its planes and those of the US.
Aquino told reporters there is no declared air-defense identification zone over the area and “we will still fly the routes that we fly based on international law.”
“We will still exercise our rights over our exclusive economic zone,” he said, adding that the “bottom line is that it has to be clear: We will defend our rights to the best of our abilities.”
Aquino also pointed to the disparity in the military strength of China and the Philippines, saying China should not bully a smaller country because it would hurt its image as it tries to create good will with its trading partners.
The Philippines is pursuing international arbitration and diplomatic efforts to try to resolve the territorial dispute with China.
When asked about what coordination the Philippines is having with the US a key military ally, to address the problem, Aquino said the two countries are helping each other but that he could not reveal details.
China said on Thursday that it is entitled to keep watch over airspace and seas surrounding artificial islands it created in the disputed waters of the South China Sea, following an exchange in which its navy warned off a US surveillance plane.
The US said its aerial patrolling was in accordance with international law and that “no one in his right mind” would try to stop it. Philippine military officials have said China has challenged Philippine air patrols at least six times since last month, with a recording asking the planes to leave the Chinese military area to avoid misunderstanding. They said China appears to be trying to impose an air defense identification zone there.
(With AP)