With the Philippine archipelagic waters linking vital trade routes in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the country is well-placed to safeguard maritime liberty, Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said Sunday.
“Our archipelagic waters are at the heart of busy and vital maritime trade routes that link the Indian and Pacific Oceans, making them indispensable to Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific. Hence, the Philippines is well-placed to safeguard maritime liberty. And we will continue to adhere to international law, including the UN Charter, the 1982 UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas) and the (2016) Arbitral Award, which binds the Philippines to UNCLOS, as well as the peaceful settlement of disputes through existing UN systems,” he said during the plenary session of the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) Shangri-La Dialogue (SLD) in Singapore.
Teodoro said dispute settlement systems are fair, transparent, and aimed not to gloss over major contradictions or problems, but to solve the root causes of disputes.
“Through UNCLOS, the international community has recognized the extent of sovereignty, rights, and entitlements that we seek to protect. And on the basis of ‘Pacta sunt servanda’ (which means agreements must be kept), we in turn will exercise these rights and entitlements in full accord with the norms and expectations of the international community. We do this openly and transparently, with nothing to hide,” Teodoro said.
The DND chief said the Philippines will continue doing its parts in defending the “autonomy of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) member states” and ensuring that Southeast Asia remains peaceful, stable, and free from undue influence of any single hegemon, particularly those that have interests actively antagonistic to members of the bloc.
“Now we recognize that we have divergence of views and interests, especially in the maritime sphere. Nevertheless, we hold true to the original ideals of ASEAN that in diversity lies our strength and through genuine autonomy we will establish the basis of our unity,” Teodoro said.
“Thus, in our capacity as chair of the ADMM (ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting) and the ADMM Plus, we will strive to preserve and enhance our internal cohesion and resist external attempts to speak for ASEAN. We will continue to work with countries that share our goal of protecting our rights and interests under UNCLOS. Ultimately, as strategic sentinel, we will stand watch over our sovereign rights and entitlements.”
And as “guardian of freedom of the seas,” Teodoro said the Philippines will stand watch with the international community for this part of the world.
“This vision is already coming to life through our ever-expanding network of allies and partners. We have conducted maritime cooperative activities with partners such as the United States, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, France, and India, and we are open to participation of other countries that share our commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific,” he added. (PNA)
