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'Dapat Presidente may diskarte': Cayetano blocks move to elevate West PH Sea row before UN

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ABS-CBN News

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano nixed Wednesday moves to elevate the West Philippine Sea row with China before the United Nations General Assembly. Cayetano, who served as foreign affairs secretary under the Duterte administration, backed his colleagues in the Senate in expressing outrage against China’s harassment of Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea. However, he urged the body to tread carefully on the issue and seek the opinion of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “Should we do it without consulting the executive?&quot;&quot;The President, who is the chief diplomat, has not stated that he wants this to be taken up in the UN. Yes, we are not a rubber stamp, and yes may sariling pag-iisip ang Senate. But ang Constitution na mismo ang nagsasabi na dapat ang Presidente ang may diskarte.&quot;“We agree on the outrage [on China’s territorial claim and aggressive tactics], but we disagree that the UNGA is the right way,” he added.Cayetano said the Senate should have a closed-door caucus with the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea to discuss the move. Sen. Risa Hontiveros filed Resolution 659 urging the “Philippine government through the Department of Foreign Affairs to sponsor a resolution before the UN General Assembly calling on China to stop its harassment of Philippine vessels.&quot; She noted that incursions by Chinese vessels into the heart of the West Philippine Sea &quot;strikes at the very core of our nation&#x27;s sovereignty.&quot;Despite a 2016 ruling from a UN-backed tribunal that favored Manila and ruled China&#x27;s claims as illegitimate, Beijing has been aggressive in its military activities in the South China Sea.In recent years, China has built artificial islands on reefs while constructing military facilities and airstrips.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano nixed Wednesday moves to elevate the West Philippine Sea row with China before the United Nations General Assembly. 