Maaayos ang hakbang ni Duterte sa Hague ruling —PDP-Laban

INIHAYAG ni PDP-Laban Policy Studies Group head Jose Antonio Goitia na sinimulan na ni Presidente Rodrigo Duterte ang mga serye ng mabubuting hakbang sa hindi pagkilala ng China sa paborableng desisyon ng Permanent Court of Arbitration ng United Nations kaugnay ng reklamo ng Filipinas sa pag-angkin ng Beijing sa buong South China Sea.

Ayon kay Goitia, pangulo rin ng PDP-Laban San Juan City Council,  sinimulan ni Duterte sa pagpapatawag ng unang National Security Council (NSC) na binubuo ng matataas na opisyal ng gobyerno kabilang ang mula sa mga sangay ng ehekutibo at lehislatibo at limang nabubuhay na pangulo ng bansa.

“The historic meeting of President Duterte with former presidents Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Arroyo and Noynoy Aquino appears to be a show of unity of all the past heads of the nation to seriously discuss the Philippine government’s best option for its strategy in light of the favorable Hague ruling,” ani Goitia.

“Aside from the wisdom they may have imparted in the meeting, the past presidents’ gesture of appearing together despite their political differences can be seen as a symbolic act to rally Filipinos to unite and support the government in the actions and decisions it will take to strengthen its position on the territorial claims over the West Philippine Sea,” diin ni Goitia.

Bago ang NSC meeting, nakipagpulong rin si Duterte kay US Secretary of State John Kerry at tinalakay nila ang relasyon ng dalawang bansa kabilang ang posisyon ng Amerika sa Hague ruling sa reklamo ng Filipinas kaugnay ng  West Philippine Sea.

“While support from the US and other countries bolster the Philippine claim, President Duterte is trusted to maintain an independent position that will best benefit the Filipino people and will not jeopardize Philippine sovereignty over the disputed territory,” dagdag ni Goitia.

“In addition, the appointment of former President Fidel Ramos as special envoy bodes well for the forthcoming talks with the Chinese government given the former army general’s diplomatic reputation in the international community.”