Push Admin

Majority of Filipinos want Duterte to assert sovereignty in West PH Sea: poll

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/06/12/20170612-independecne-flag-zambales-jd.jpg?ext=.jpg"/><figcaption>Filipino youth activists brave the waves as they hoist a Philippine flag on the shores of Zambales facing the West Philippine Sea on June 12, 2017, Independence Day, as a symbol of the country’s claim to the disputed territory. <em>Jun Dumaguing, ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA - Seven out of 10 Filipinos want the Duterte administration to assert Manila&#x27;s 2016 victory in an international arbitral court and the country&#x27;s sovereignty over its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the disputed South China Sea, results of a survey released Thursday showed.</p><p>A Pulse Asia poll conducted from June 15 to 21 this year revealed that 73 percent of Filipinos believe that President Rodrigo Duterte should assert Manila&#x27;s rights to the West Philippine Sea, the country&#x27;s EEZ within the contested waters.</p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/07/12/20180712-pulse-1.jpg?ext=.jpg"/></figure></div><p>The poll results were released as the Philippines marked the second anniversary of its landmark 2016 victory in the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which invalidated China&#x27;s sweeping nine-dash line claim to the waters. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/07/12/16/philippines-beats-china-in-international-court">Philippines beats China in international court</a></li></ul><p>China recently stepped up its militarization efforts in the disputed waters, installing military-grade runways, hangars, hardened storage for ammunition, and retractable roofs for anti-cruise missiles, prompting the Philippines to beef up its force in the area.</p><p>The survey found that 46 percent of Filipinos strongly agreed that the Duterte administration must assert the court ruling while 27 percent somewhat agreed.</p><p>Only 3 percent strongly disagreed with asserting the court ruling, while 4 percent somewhat disagreed. Seventeen percent, meanwhile, were in the middle.</p><p>Some 2 percent of Filipinos said they do not have enough knowledge of the issue to give an opinion, while less than one percent (0.4) had zero knowledge of the matter.</p><div><strong>DIPLOMATIC PROTEST</strong></div><p>On the other hand, 34 percent of Filipinos believe that the Philippines should file a diplomatic protest with the Chinese Embassy in Manila against Beijing&#x27;s continuous militarization of the disputed waters.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/31/18/philippines-taking-diplomatic-actions-vs-china-over-south-china-sea-activities">Philippines taking &#x27;diplomatic actions&#x27; vs China over South China Sea activities</a></li></ul><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/07/12/20180712-pulse-2.jpg?ext=.jpg"/></figure></div><p>The said protest should &quot;emphasize the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration last 2016 that the islands in the West Philippine Sea are a Philippine territory.&quot;</p><p>Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano had previously said that Manila has filed &quot;several dozens&quot; of protests, &quot;maybe 50, 100.&quot;</p><p>He also said that protests come in many forms, such as filing a note verbale, listing complaints through the bilateral consultation mechanism between the Philippines and China, and President Duterte telling Chinese President Xi Jinping &quot;that is mine and don&#x27;t get the oil.&quot;</p><p>Another 22 percent also believe that the Philippines should boost its military ties with the United States, Japan, and Australia among others. </p><div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/news/07/12/20180712-pulse-3.jpg?ext=.jpg"/></figure></div><p>Sixteen percent, meanwhile, want Manila to develop its own military capability to defend its territory, lower than the 21 percent who favor the Duterte administration&#x27;s friendly stance towards Beijing.</p><p>In May this year, the Philippines and China agreed to &quot;properly manage&quot; disputes in the West Philippine Sea by engaging in dialogue and negotiations to address issues in the disputed waters.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/31/18/ph-china-agree-to-properly-manage-maritime-dispute-chinese-state-media">PH, China agree to &#x27;properly manage&#x27; maritime dispute: Chinese state media</a></li></ul><p>A total of 1,800 Filipinos were polled for the survey, which was commissioned by the Stratbase Albert del Rosario Institute.</p>

<p>The poll results were released as the Philippines marked the second anniversary of its landmark 2016 victory in the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which invalidated China's sweeping nine-dash line claim to the waters. </p>

The poll results were released as the Philippines marked the second anniversary of its landmark 2016 victory in the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which invalidated China's sweeping nine-dash line claim to the waters.