Marcos: Philippines must sit down with China to end sea dispute

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines should pursue the bilateral negotiations proposed by China to solve the West Philippine Sea dispute, Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said.

In an interview with ANC's Beyond Politics, Marcos said the maritime row will not be settled with finality if the two countries do not sign an agreement on the issue.

"Hindi magkakaroon ng agreement na iyan kung hindi natin kinakausap ang China. China has already made very clear that this adjudication process that's being undertaken right now is not one that they will honor," Marcos told program host Lynda Jumilla.

Marcos said it is time for the Philippines to sit down with China.

"In the end of the day, it will have to be China and the Philippines sitting down at the table signing an agreement to put an end to all these tensions and all of these difficulties that we are having over the conflicting claims in the West Philippine Sea," the senator said.

Lawyer Harry Roque Jr., an international law expert, also believes that the Philippines should consider bilateral talks since the country is obliged to resort to all peaceful means as a signatory of the United Nations charter.

"If I were him (President Aquino), I will still do it behind closed doors," Roque said in a past interview. "We should be exhausting all means for peaceful resolution of this dispute."

Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda has said that the country cannot have bilateral discussions with China because the sea dispute involves more than two parties.

The Philippines is pursuing a Triple Action Plan (TAP) aimed to reduce and manage maritime tensions.

On the immediate level, the Philippines is seeking a moratorium on construction efforts and other activities that may increase tensions in the contested territories.

For an intermediate approach, the country is pushing for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and the expeditious conclusion of the Code of Conduct.

As a final approach, the TAP stresses the need for a settlement mechanism anchored on international law. The Philippines has filed an arbitration case that would clarify the maritime entitlements of claimant countries.