Malacanang has welcomed the support from the United States to maintain peace in the West Philippine Sea.
This came about after an American navy official said the US military is ready to respond to threats by China in the Asia Pacific region.
Admiral Harry Harris of the US Pacific Fleet said his country is prepared to respond to threats against the security and stability of the Asia-Pacific region in the face of China’s undisputed land reclamation in the West Philippine Sea.
He said the US will act on threats against its national interests as well as its allies from a position of strength.
China claims most of the sea and its coral reefs, rocks and sandbars competing with other claimants such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., said the United States continues to be a friend of the Philippines and said all claimants to the West Philippine Sea should observe the status quo.
“Lahat naman po ng nag-aalay ng suporta ay malugod nating tinatanggap at napatunayan na po sa mga nakaraang pagkakataon na ang Estados Unidos ay isa sa mga kaibigang bansa ng Pilipinas na nagbibigay ng kongkretong suporta at nakita po natin ito noong tayo ay dumaan doon sa mga hamon ng Typhoon Haiyan o ‘Yolanda’ at ng iba pang mga naunang kalamidad,” Coloma said in a radio interview Sunday.
Asked to comment whether the Philippine government considers China’s building of structures in the West Philippine Sea a threat, Coloma insisted that all claimants must observe the status quo until maritime entitlements are resolved.
The country’s position is the crafting of a binding Code of Conduct in West Philippine Sea to ease the tension in the contested territory, Coloma told dzRB Radyo ng Bayan.
“Sa bahagi ng lahat ng mga bansang mayroong maritime entitlement claims sa South China Sea o West Philippine Sea, ang panawagan natin ay dapat na magkaroon muna ng malinaw at maipatutupad na Code of Conduct,” he said.
China’s so-called reclamation activities that lead to the constructions of permanent structures are contrary to the Philippines’s basic principle, he added.
“Dahil hindi pa naman nareresolba ang mga maritime entitlement claims, hindi dapat na nagkakaroon ng mga ganyang aktibidad, at malinaw din po ang ating pahayag na ang posisyon ng Pilipinas ay para sa mapayapa at diplomatikong pagturing sa mga usaping katulad ng inyong nabanggit.”
Aside from pushing for an enforceable Code of Conduct, the Philippines has filed an arbitration case in the international tribunal. China opposed the move saying it will not participate in the arbitration being spearheaded by the Philippines. (with a report from PND)