Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 15) — Amid rising tensions with China over its lingering vessels in the West Philippine Sea, Filipinos remain uncertain on President Rodrigo Duterte’s next move. But how much are they allowed to know?
In a briefing on Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte is not obliged to announce to the public his next diplomatic initiatives as the chief architect of foreign policy.
“Ang larangan ng diplomasya, isang exception to freedom of information. Kung ano man ang ginagawa ng presidente, hayaan na lang nating gawin niya iyon sa pribadong paraan,” Roque insisted. “Hindi naman po dapat inaanunsyo sa publiko ang diplomatic initiatives o anumang hakbang na ginagawa ng Pangulo.”
[Translation: The field of diplomacy is an exception to freedom of information. Whatever the President does, let’s leave it up to him and let him solve it in a private manner. The public does not need to be informed about the next diplomatic initiatives or steps that are being done by the President.]
“Let’s leave the President to his devices,” Roque added. “Napakita naman po niya na (He was able to show that) so far in the past five years of his administration, we have moved from a position of antagonism with China to a position of friendship.”
In a separate statement, Roque claimed that the Duterte administration “has always been consistent in invoking Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights over West Philippine Sea.”
READ: Duterte admin ‘consistent’ in asserting PH sovereignty over WPS – Malacañang
Opposition Senator Risa Hontiveros recently said Duterte’s position on the West Philippine Sea does not count as “foolish,” but should rather be described as “deliberately weak” as he behaved “largely like a doormat” to China despite its incursions.
Over the last half decade, Duterte has maintained his soft stance on China. Roque earlier said Duterte and Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian tackled the issue in a “scheduled social call” last month, but he did not expound on the details of the conversation.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has previously summoned the Chinese envoy over the lingering presence of China’s maritime vessels at the Julian Felipe Reef, also known as the Whitsun Reef. It reiterated its demand for the immediate departure of other Chinese vessels in other maritime zones of the Philippines.
The Philippine government already filed a series of diplomatic protests against China over the continued presence of more than 200 Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea.
Beijing continues to reject the landmark ruling of the arbitral tribunal in The Hague which recognized in 2016 the Philippines’ sovereign rights in areas within its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
