Philippine flag planted on Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
Department of Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre on Thursday said that pressing the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitral (PCA) on the maritime dispute over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) would be the underlining agendum in prospective bilateral talks with China.
In an interview after being sworn in by Senate President Aquilino "Koko" Pimentel III as the newest member of the political party PDP-Laban, Aguirre said that, when bilateral talks with China do push through, the Philippines will be raising factual situations concerning the WPS and in connection with the arbitral tribunal's decision.
"Of course, on our part we have to mention the matter, but, on China's part, they would rather be silent on that. Although they would not like it, we would want to pursue it," Aguirre said, even as he confirmed the United Nations ruling on WPS was one of the topics tackled at the National Security Council (NSC) meeting on Wednesday.
"In so far as the West Philippine Sea is concerned, there is a distinction with the South China Sea. The South China Sea is a vast territory, but the West Philippine Sea is what was the subject of our victory in the Arbitral Tribunal's proceedings," Aguirre explained.
Meanwhile, Aguirre elaborated that matters of national security will not be covered by the recent Executive Order on Freedom of Information, including relations with other countries, like China.
http://interaksyon.com/article/130878/aguirre-ph-to-press-pca-ruling-on-west-ph-sea-in-bilateral-talks-with-china
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