Saying sovereignty is non-negotiable, Vice President Jejomar Binay promised to pursue all possible means to resolve a dispute in connection with the country’s territorial claims in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).
He added that he will hold talks with all stakeholders.
“For us, sovereignty is non-negotiable. We will pursue all means possible. So for us, the security of every Filipino is guaranteed and what is ours is protected,” Binay told reporters in a chance interview over the weekend when asked on the matter.
The former Makati City (Metro Manila) mayor is running for president as the standard-bearer of the opposition United Nationalist Alliance (UNA).
When also asked if that means multilateral talks, Binay likened the matter to the country’s search for lasting peace in its southern region of Mindanao.
“Well it is just like our quest for lasting peace. We will sit down, hold talks with all stakeholders like here in Mindanao so that there will be an agreement that is also in line first of all with our laws,” he said.
The Philippines lodged a case against China, which also has claims in the disputed waters, before an international arbitration tribunal at The Hague in Netherlands.
China, which refused to participate in the arbitration, wants bilateral talks.
On this, Binay said, “We cannot interfere with that. In my understanding, our lawyers said… if you enter into bilateral talks while having a pending arbitration case, it will be waived.”
“So that’s it, I suppose, hopefully it will be a decision favourable to the Philippines,” he added.