Castro calls for ‘clear foreign policy’ amid recent incident in WPS

House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro on Thursday urged the Marcos administration to have a clear foreign policy amid the ongoing tension between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea.

Castro’s call comes after a Chinese vessel collided with a Philippine vessel on its way for a resupply mission to the grounded ship BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. Four people were also injured after two China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels water cannoned a Philippine boat.

“Palala na nang palala yung ginagawang pambu-bully ng China. Kinokondena natin itong ginagawang ito. Pero dapat maglinaw na rin ng foreing policy ang ating gobyerno,” Castro said in a press conference.

(It’s getting worse. We condemn such actions. But the government should come up with a clear foreign policy.)

Castro also expressed concerns about the Philippines being dragged into a possible conflict between China and the United States. 

“Dapat ay maglinaw na talaga ng foreign policy kasi parang kiling na kiling sa US na parang nakakapag-provoke naman sa China,” Castro said. 

(There should be a clear foreign policy. It seems our alliance with the US is provoking China.)

“Ayaw nating ma-drag dito, ayaw nating maging pawn din tayo ng US doon sa away nila with China,” she added.

(We don’t want to be dragged into that and become pawns in the US-China conflict.)

President Ferdinand ”Bongbong” Marcos Jr. earlier this week said that the US has nothing to do with its decisions when it comes to issues in the West Philippine Sea, noting that the country ”acts for its own interest.”

”I always wanted to make it clear, because there is a narrative out there that is going around that we are at the beck and call, practically, of the United States when it comes to these foreign policy decisions, especially surrounding the South China Sea. But let me make it very, very clear,” Marcos said.

”The Philippines acts for its own interest, and the decisions that we make when it comes to foreign policy are decisions that we make because we believe, and are convinced, and know that it is in the national interest,” he added. 

The President also said that the Philippines’ foreign policy is grounded and anchored on the continued promotion and work for peace as well as on the continued promotion and work for the national interest of the country.

Marcos, however, said that he views the recent actions by China against Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea “with great alarm” but not enough to invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty with the US.

Under the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT), the Philippines and the US agree that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either the Philippines or the US would be dangerous and that they would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes. —VAL, GMA Integrated News