Monthly Archives: June 2019

South China Sea: Philippines risk Bejing’s wrath after cancelling diplomatic passports

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte is facing mounting pressure at home to be more robust in his response to Chinese aggression as tensions between the two countries surge. Beijing and Manila have found themselves locked in a bitter diplomatic row over the ownership of the South China Sea, with both countries claiming a right to the […]

Duterte on allowing China to fish in PH EEZ: If you try to impeach me, I will jail you

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 27) — President Rodrigo Duterte threatens to jail those who will attempt to impeach him over the Chinese fishing in Philippine waters. “I-impeach ako? Kulungin ko silang lahat. Subukan ninyo [Impeach me? I will jail you all. Try me],” he said after Senator Bong Go’s oath-taking late Thursday. “Do that […]

Palace: Critics want risky, ‘isolationist’ policy vs China

President Duterte’s critics are pushing for an “aggressive, isolationist” policy against China that would be “dangerous” for the Philippines, Malacañang said on Thursday. The Palace took a swipe at Duterte’s detractors, defending him for calling Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio “stupid” for invoking the Constitution in his allowing the Chinese to fish in […]

‘The fish could be from China’: Sotto sees no problem with allowing Chinese fishers in PH waters

MANILA (UPDATE) – Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III on Thursday said he sees no problem with President Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncement that Chinese fishers can venture into waters where Manila has exclusive rights over natural resources. “He’s the President. The buck stops with him. If it’s wrong or right, it’s his accountability,” Sotto told ABS-CBN […]

Gordon: Duterte’s personal friendships should not dictate PH foreign policy

MANILA, Philippines — The foreign policy of the Philippines should not depend on the personal friendships of the President, Senator Richard Gordon said on Thursday. “Our foreign policy and our national interest, cannot rely on personal friendships,” Gordon said during a weekly press forum at the Senate in Pasay City. Gordon’s reaction came after President […]

Duterte invokes 2016 fishing agreement with China

OUR SEA Members of the fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas, who denounced President Duterte for saying the boat-ramming on June 9 near Recto Bank was just a small accident, will likely return to Mendiola, Manila, to rally against his policy of allowing the Chinese to fish in our country’s exclusive economic […]

Pride and dignity

I have always maintained that our economic future lies with China which is poised to become the world’s largest economy with a per capita income of $22,000 by 2028. But it doesn’t mean we should eschew our historical and economic relations with the people who have stood with us before for a longer period – […]

Philippines: Duterte Faces Potential Impeachment Over Fishing Controversy In South China Sea

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte could be impeached for appearing to give Chinese fishing boats a green light to enter South China Sea waters that are internationally recognized as lying within Manila’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), analysts and officials said Wednesday. Duterte, an ally of China’s president, suggested earlier this week that due to a need […]

Lacson seeks ‘balance of power’ in S. China Sea

MANILA – Sen. Panfilo Lacson on Thursday said the United States must keep China in check in the South China Sea in order to maintain the “balance of power” in the region, as the Asian power continues to assert its dominance over other claimants in the resources-rich waterway. Lacson had earlier called on the Philippines […]

South China Sea: Philippine leader caves to China amid calls for impeachment

CHINA appear to have succeeded in their diplomatic battle over the South China Sea after a prominent politician in the Philippines supported Chinese fishermen – leading to calls for President Duterte’s impeachment. Senate President Vicente Sotto III said that he sees no issue with Chinese fishermen venturing into private Philippine waters – despite his country […]