Presidential aspirant De Guzman pins blame for China harassment on Duterte
MANILA, Philippines—Presidential aspirant and labor leader Leody de Guzman on Monday (Nov. 22) linked the recent harassment by China of Philippine supply boats in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal inside Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) on President Rodrigo Duterte’s pivot to China and accommodation of the United States.
“China’s encroachment on Philippine territory is the logical conclusion of Duterte’s pandering to China and his betrayal of the country,” he said in a statement.
“China is now more confident in ignoring the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) and disrespect the territory and sovereignty of the Philippines,” he added.
In the last five years, Duterte has played down China aggression in the West Philippine Sea in relation to his foreign policy pivot and tight embrace of China in exchange for massive investments and loans which have yet to materialize months before Duterte’s tenure ends in 2022.
Duterte also set aside the ruling by an international tribunal that invalidated China’s fictitious nine-dash line claims in the South China Sea, calling it a piece of paper he can throw in the trash can.
The Philippines last week protested the blocking and water cannon attack by China coast guard on two Philippine civilian supply vessels ferrying supplies to Filipino troops stationed at BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, a low-tide elevation located inside the Philippines’ EEZ.
Duterte issued unusually strong remarks against Beijing at the Asean-China Special Summit on Monday and said the Philippines “abhors” the incident in Ayungin.
The provocative act was condemned by the United States, which reaffirmed its commitment to the Philippines under the Mutual Defense Treaty, a pact which binds the two countries to come to each other’s aid in case of an armed attack in the Pacific, including the West Philippine Sea.
Australia, Japan, France, United Kingdom, Canada and other like-minded countries have also expressed concern over the Chinese harassment in Ayungin Shoal and reiterated their support to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling.
But the US expression of support did not sit well with De Guzman, who said that the Philippines should be careful on relying on military support and intervention of “imperialist” powers, like the United States which De Guzman said was just looking after its own interests.
“We need to be vigilant against China’s threats on our territory,” he said. “Relying on US military intervention is not the solution. We will be caught between a conflict between two powerful countries who have their own agendas on the Philippines’ economy and territory,” he added.
He said Chinese and American military presence in the disputed waters is a threat to the region.
“What is needed is the demilitarization of the West Philippine Sea from China and the US. Their armed presence in the region is the biggest threat to the sovereignty and territory not just of the Philippines but of all Southeast Asian countries,” he said.
De Guzman was the latest presidential aspirant to speak up on the Ayungin Shoal harassment.
Other aspirants—Vice President Leni Robredo, Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, Senator Panfilo Lacson, Senator Manny Pacquiao—have earlier condemned China’s behavior in Ayungin Shoal.
Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who are also seeking the presidency, have yet to comment on the hostile Chinese action.
