How China’s military play in disputed waters could torpedo Rodrigo Duterte’s foreign policy shift  Richard Heydarian writes that the fate of the Philippine president’s post-America foreign policy likely is to be decided by what happens in the contested South China Sea

On SCS: Let us help our President  Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs (2011-2016) Albert del Rosario humbly suggests that we all ask him to be more proactive and assertive in defending our territory

West Philippine Sea / Part 2 – Search for Options Centrist Democrat Lito Monico Lorenzana endorses the five-point approach of Associate Justice Antonio Carpio  

1. “File a strong formal protest against China’s building activity. This is the least that the President can do. This is what the Vietnamese did recently when China sent cruise tours to the disputed Paracels.

2. “Send the Philippine Navy to patrol Scarborough Shoal. If the Chinese attack Philippine navy vessels, then the President can invoke the Philippine-US Mutual Defense Treaty, which covers any armed attack on Philippine navy vessels operating in the South China Sea.

3. “Ask the United States to declare that Scarborough Shoal is part of Philippine territory for purposes of the Mutual Defense Treaty since the shoal has been part of Philippine territory even during the American colonial period. The US has declared the Senkakus as part of Japanese territory for purposes of the US-Japan mutual defense treaty.

4. “Accept the standing US offer to hold joint naval patrols in the South China Sea, which includes Scarborough Shoal. This will demonstrate joint Philippine and US determination to prevent China from building on Scarborough Shoal.

5. “Avoid any act, statement or declaration that expressly or impliedly waives Philippine sovereignty to any Philippine territory in the West Philippine Sea. This will preserve for future generations of Filipinos their national patrimony in the West Philippine Sea.” [Rappler, March 20 ,2017]

The first point could be tweaked, like what Vietnam did, to signal the Chinese that we are opting “…for a policy of cooperation… we all look forward to a ‘Code of Conduct’ to guide the various nations on the South China Sea (SCS). Vietnam’s statement was made in the form of a request to China, appealing to its sense of responsibility as a large country. It was just an expression of concern over militarization activities which are supposed to be avoided in the proposed Code of Conduct.”

“Sometime ago President Duterte said that before his term ends in 2022 – four years from now – he will have to assert the Philippine victory in the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague in 2016”. [Manila Bulletin, May 16, 2018]

But why wait four years? This is simply passing the ball to the next administration and postpone the pain and responsibility. Some quarters, even among the ranks of Duterte allies, see this as downplaying our victory in exchange for economic benefits from China. Laying aside our sovereignty may not exactly be rape. But for lucre, we might as well call it for what it is. An apt word perhaps would be prostitution.