TOL: Ambassador ng China sa 'Pinas, pwede ring ipatawag ng gobyerno at lektyuran ukol sa dalawang landmark laws

PHILIPPINES, November 13 - Press Release
November 13, 2024

TOL: Ambassador ng China sa 'Pinas, pwede ring ipatawag ng gobyerno at lektyuran ukol sa dalawang landmark laws

Pwede ring ipatawag ng Pilipinas ang ambassador ng China para bigyan ng opisyal na kopya at lektyuran ito ukol sa dalawang mahalagang batas na pinirmahan kamakailan ni Pangulong Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr.

Sa kanyang panayam sa Kapihan sa Manila Bay ngayong umaga, ibinahagi ni Tolentino na personal niyang sinabi ang kanyang mungkahi kay Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo sa sidelines ng DFA budget hearing kahapon.

"Pero ayon kay Secretary Manalo, wala sa bansa ang ambassador ng China dahil kasalukuyan itong naka-leave ng isang buwan," ani Tolentino, ang principal author at sponsor ng Philippine Maritime Zones Act (12064) and Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act (12065).

Ito ang pahayag ni Tolentino bilang reaksyon sa pagpapatawag ng China sa ambassador ng Pilipinas sa Beijing - ilang oras lamang matapos lagdaan ang dalawang landmark laws upang sabihin ang mariing pagtutol nito.

"Hindi dapat tayo matakot dahil sa insidenteng ito. Bagkus, dapat pa nga nitong palakasin ang paninindigan natin para igiit ang ating mga karapatan sa ating maritime domain," ayon sa senador.

"Huwag tayong magpa-pressure at magpa-bully sa isang sulok. Ang kanilang reaksyon sa isyung ito ay nagpapakita lang na tama ang ating posisyon, batay sa bisa at lakas ng international law," diin pa ng chaiman ng Senate Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones.

"Karapatan natin na ituring nang may respeto bilang isang malayang bansa. Kahit ako ay pwedeng mag-deliver ng kopya ng batas para mabasa nila," dagdag pa nya.

Ayon pa kay Tolentino, sa takdang panahon ay makatatanggap din ang China ng opisyal na kopya ng Philippine Maritime Zones Act mula sa United Nations. Samantala, pormal namang isusumite ng Pilipinas ang Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act sa International Maritime Organization (IMO) at International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

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TOL: PH can also summon, brief China ambassador on two landmark maritime laws

Senate Majority Leader Francis 'Tol' Tolentino today said that nothing prevents the Philippine government from also summoning China's ambassador to the country, and providing the latter with official copies and a briefing on the two landmark maritime laws recently signed by President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr.

Speaking at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay, Tolentino shared that he personally conveyed his proposal to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo on the sidelines of the DFA budget hearing on Tuesday.

"But Secretary Manalo told me that the ambassador is currently not in the country and is on a month-long leave," said Tolentino, principal author and sponsor of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act (12064) and Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act (12065).

Tolentino made the remark in reaction to a question about China summoning the country's ambassador to Beijing, just hours after the signing of the two landmark laws to express its strong objection.

The incident should not intimidate the government, Tolentino said, but should even strengthen its resolve to assert its rights and entitlements over the country's maritime domain.

"We should not be pressured and bullied into a corner. The mere fact that they are reacting and behaving in that manner is a clear indication that our position is right, based on the might of international law," stressed Tolentino, Chair of the Senate Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and Admiralty Zones.

"We deserve and expect respect as a sovereign nation. I can even deliver [a copy] of the laws to them," he added, noting that China will, in due time, receive an official copy of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act from the United Nations itself. Meanwhile, he said the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act will be submitted to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).