Col. Dencio Acop (Ret), PhD
The West Philippine Sea is so much in focus these days due to the presence of hundreds of Chinese maritime vessels believed to be militia adjuncts of the People’s Liberation Army. I just would like to emphasize several core issues about this development. First, the legal claim of the Philippines over its Exclusive Economic Zone upheld by the South China Sea Arbitration on July 12, 2016 is already in effect. Second, it is the duty of the Armed Forces of the Philippines led by its commander-in-chief to ‘protect the people and the State, national sovereignty, and safeguard territorial integrity’ as enshrined in the national Constitution. And third, the threat posed by domination of a foreign power whose values (even if Asian) are so alien to us cannot be underestimated or overestimated.
On the initial point, the fact that the Arbitration already ruled in favor of RP means that the Philippines has legal claims over all resources within its 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone while China does not. Otherwise, it will not be exclusive. The ruling is binding on both countries because each is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The Philippines ratified UNCLOS in 1984 while China ratified it in 1996. Specifically, the ruling cited that ‘China’s historic rights claims over maritime areas inside the ‘nine-dash line’ have no lawful effect if they exceed what’s entitled to under UNCLOS’. In the latest development, Whitsun Reef which is where the 200+ Chinese militia vessels are, ‘is located 175 nautical miles from the Philippine province of Palawan and 638 nautical miles off China’s southern Hainan island’. Clearly, the Chinese are out of line here and in blatant violation of its 1996 commitment to the UNCLOS. The Republic of the Philippines has every right to demand the Chinese vessels promptly leave the area as they are trespassing in the Philippines’ not even backyard but front yard. There should not even be any need for nagging or threats of war as each UN signatory is legally bound to honor its word or suffer isolation and sanctions in and from the community of nations.
The second point I wish to emphasize is the fact that the mission of the Armed Forces of the Philippines remains constant and inviolate. It is to ‘protect the Filipino people, uphold national sovereignty, and safeguard territorial integrity’. Technically, all resources (including islets and reefs) residing within the 200 nautical mile underground landmass extension out into the sea are the exclusive property of the country nearest them. This ruling is fair and square as every coastal nation, including China, enjoys these rights. National sovereignty and territorial integrity are written all over our legal maritime claims in the West Philippine Sea. These legal claims are crystal clear. To protect the livelihood rights of our fishermen from unfair and illegal foreign competition is likewise crystal clear. They fall within the exact reason for being of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. There is absolutely no need to debate the issue. It is the patriotic duty of not only the army but the people to protect their home from looters and marauders. In the annals of Philippine military history, not even lack of modern weaponry deterred the Katipuneros when they fought the occupying Spaniards and again the Americans. Then again the Japanese Imperial Army no matter how mighty and cruel. Cowardice before the enemy, even a mighty army, in military circles is not only traitorous but despicable and shameful. The only reason for being of an army is to defend its homeland against all enemies, foreign or domestic. I am not at all saying that war is the only option. As there are certainly other options. Just that when it comes to war, then the armed forces cannot not perform what they are paid and commissioned to do. Fight our nation’s battles. But before war, there is always the idealist option in international relations to consider and that is the pursuit of multilateral dialogues bringing in partner allies from the international community of nations. It need not just be a small nation’s war against a world power for the outcome is predictably bleak. But a stand by a small nation backed up by strong other nations tilts the power game to a balance.
Finally, the consequences to the threat of domination by a foreign power whose values are so alien to us cannot be both underestimated and overestimated. Why have we been fighting the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas initially then followed by the Communist Party of the Philippines for more than half a century now? You guessed it right! Because it not only presents a threat at power grab but more dangerously it wants to impose on us democratic Christians a radically different worldview and way of life. A totalitarian godless one. If people think this is not possible, think again. No one believed Churchill when he cried wolf over Hitler prior to Britain’s entry into World War II. The same can be said of other like models whose connivance with foreign ideologies and systems, even radical ones, knew no bounds for one reason or another. But I would add that it was because of the lack of moral boundaries. You see it is morality that reminds us of what’s best in the human character and spirit. The ideologies of all that are true and good are the bedrock of good governance which aims at attaining the greatest good for the greatest number. Thus the public good or common good came to be founded upon the common lot of the working class. There was supposed to be no space for the choice of greed even if capitalism was sorely needed to shore up production so there was something to distribute among those who needed it most. It is not the systems that fail humans. But the humans who fail them especially the ones that are most just. And inspired, always inspired by that boundary of morality owing to that criminal who was raised up so that he could draw all to himself. Love of God and the common tao is the bedrock of this country. Let us embrace it. Nurture it. For it will make us free and prosperous one day. Where it should have been before you and I were even born.
