00:59.6
Today's big stories.
01:01.7
China slams the upcoming trilateral summit between the U.S., Philippines, and Japan.
01:08.4
Vice President Sarah Duterte still mum on the West Philippine issue.
01:14.4
And a deadlock in the talks for a ceasefire in Gaza with Israel setting a date for its invasion of Rapa.
01:26.0
China taking a swipe at the upcoming trilateral summit.
01:28.7
India taking a swipe at the upcoming trilateral summit.
01:28.7
China taking a swipe at the upcoming trilateral summit.
01:28.8
coming trilateral summit of the United States, the Philippines, and Japan.
01:33.9
Beijing's foreign ministry says China is against any circles that threaten regional peace and stability.
01:44.7
We oppose relevant countries cobbling together exclusionary small circles and creating block confrontations.
01:52.2
Japan in particularly should learn from the lessons of history
01:55.6
and be cautious in its words and deeds in the field of military security.
01:59.9
Any cooperation conducted by any countries should be conducive to regional peace and stability.
02:09.0
Beijing also singled out Washington, saying it firmly opposes the U.S. attempt to deploy a medium-range missile system in the Asia-Pacific region.
02:22.1
We have no interest in competing with any country on military policy.
02:26.0
China firmly opposes the U.S.'s practice of deploying medium-range missiles in the Asia-Pacific region
02:32.4
and strengthening forward deployments at China's doorstep to seek unilateral military advantages.
02:40.1
We urge the United States to earnestly respect the security concerns of other countries
02:45.1
and stop undermining regional peace and stability.
02:51.5
Meanwhile, President Marcos Jr. hopes maritime tensions,
02:55.6
along with China, will be tempered after Manila's weekend naval drills with three of its allies.
03:02.3
Bianca Dava reports.
03:06.1
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. expressed hope that Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea
03:11.5
would be avoided following the first-ever multilateral maritime cooperative activity in the West Philippine Sea on Sunday.
03:18.7
The exercises involved the armed forces of the Philippines, BRP Gregorio del Pilar, BRP Antonio Luna,
03:25.6
BRP Valentin Diaz, with the naval and air assets of the United States Indo-Pacific Command,
03:31.8
Australian Defence Force, and Japan's Self-Defense Forces.
03:35.6
The President also gave the assurance that Philippine officials continue to talk to their Chinese counterparts
03:41.5
so that tension in the region would no longer escalate.
03:44.8
We continue to talk at the ministerial level, at the sub-ministerial level, at the people-to-people level.
03:52.8
We are doing everything.
03:53.9
We are doing everything.
03:55.6
So that the Chinese leadership, the Beijing leadership, can talk to each other.
04:01.1
We don't want to make it too heated.
04:05.0
So we will talk to each other so that there will be peace, there will be peace, there will be peace.
04:10.4
The Department of National Defense stressed the MMCA was a show of unity among the four countries
04:16.3
rather than a show of force against China, something also undertaken by other nations.
04:21.7
The objective was to strengthen.
04:25.6
Our cooperative activities with our partners, essentially our ally, the U.S., in this instance, Japan and Australia.
04:37.4
And we wanted to strengthen our regional and international cooperation with them.
04:43.0
And of course, enhance our interoperability.
04:45.5
What we wanted to do here is to uphold the freedom of navigation and overflight.
04:52.7
And we wanted to stress in the MCA.
04:55.6
The respect for our maritime rights under international law, namely UNCLOS.
05:03.1
Japan's defense minister says the South China Sea issue is directly related to peace and stability.
05:09.8
He adds, Japan opposes any unilateral changes to the status quo and any actions that increase maritime tensions.
05:17.9
For U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Washington's activities with its allies underscore their shared commitment
05:24.5
to ensure all countries have a safe and equal future.
05:25.6
All countries are free to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows.
05:31.1
Communication exercises, division tactics, and anti-submarine warfare drills were conducted during the activity.
05:38.6
The anti-submarine warfare drill is actually just sensing if there are underwater vessels.
05:50.6
AFP Chief of Staff General Romeo Bronner Jr. confirmed,
05:54.4
two peoples liberated.
05:55.6
The Federation Army Navy vessels were seen some six nautical miles away from the exercise area.
06:01.0
We noticed the presence of two PLA Navy ships in the distance.
06:09.5
Pero wala naman pong ginawa itong mga Navy ships na ito para i-block or hadlangan yung ginagawa nating mga exercises.
06:19.5
So tuloy-tuloy naman, naging tuloy-tuloy, naging successful yung ating multinational maritime cooperation.
06:25.6
Kaya naman na nalang nalang akit-akit.
06:26.6
We were able to achieve all the objectives that we have set forth.
06:30.9
I can also assume that they are also performing freedom of navigation on their own terms.
06:36.9
But I have no information as to that if they were moving or I have no information also as to what they were doing there in the area.
06:46.6
China earlier said its PLA Southern Theater Command also organized naval and air combat patrols in the South China Sea
06:54.6
in the South China Sea.
06:55.5
that the MMCA was conducted.
06:57.8
But Bronner said they have not seen
06:59.9
any Chinese activities in the area.
07:02.2
Narinig natin na yung China daw
07:04.7
ay magsasagawa rin ng kanilang combat patrols.
07:09.2
Pero sa nakita natin pag-monitor dun sa area,
07:13.0
wala naman pong ganong nangyari.
07:15.1
Wala naman ginawang mga combat patrol
07:17.9
or mga exercises.
07:19.8
Although future MCAs are yet to be scheduled,
07:23.1
the Defense Department said
07:24.3
the Philippines is ready and open
07:26.2
to conduct such activities with its allies,
07:29.3
partners, and like-minded nations.
07:32.1
Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News.
07:37.9
All right, joining us now on Hot Copy,
07:40.5
we have with us Philippine Ambassador
07:42.1
to the United States,
07:43.9
Jose Manuel Ramaldez.
07:45.9
Ambassador Ramaldez, good morning to you, sir.
07:48.9
Good morning, Karen.
07:50.0
Thank you very much for inviting me.
07:52.1
All right, with the upcoming historic
07:54.3
Trilateral Summit this April 11 and 12
07:59.3
in the United States,
08:01.2
China had already issued a statement
08:04.9
and said that it opposes relevant countries
08:08.9
cobbling together in what it described,
08:12.1
Ambassador, as exclusionary small circles
08:16.4
creating bloc confrontations.
08:20.3
Are we doing that?
08:24.3
The President has made it very clear
08:26.2
from the very beginning
08:27.2
that he would like to have a multilateral approach
08:30.0
to any situation that we are facing right now
08:33.5
in the West Philippine Sea
08:35.2
or the South China Sea,
08:36.5
whatever you want to call it.
08:38.2
The bottom line is that we are getting together
08:40.7
with many of our friends and allies
08:42.6
who believe in the same rule of law,
08:46.4
the international waters
08:47.9
that is obviously important for any country,
08:53.3
like-minded country,
08:54.3
and many other countries
08:56.2
that are now joining us
08:58.2
in the fact that we have the arbitration case
09:02.5
that was decided in favor of the Philippines.
09:06.0
That's all we're doing here,
09:07.3
a multilateral approach.
09:09.0
We are not doing anything
09:10.3
that is outside of the ordinary
09:11.8
that we feel is important for us.
09:14.4
And again, I'd like to emphasize
09:17.1
the President would like to see
09:19.8
a multilateral approach
09:21.3
into trying to solve the situation
09:23.1
in the West Philippines.
09:26.0
Now, the President will be visiting
09:28.4
the United States this coming April 10,
09:31.5
and this is his fourth U.S. visit.
09:34.6
Within that visit is the Trilateral Summit.
09:38.2
How historical is this?
09:40.4
Is this the first of its kind?
09:45.4
This is the first time
09:46.6
that an invitation like this
09:49.5
was sent out to both Japan and the Philippines
09:52.6
by the White House.
09:54.3
It is something that I think
09:56.4
is not only historical
09:57.5
but momentous in one sense
09:59.1
because this trilateral meeting
10:02.6
not only encompasses the defense
10:08.4
the Indo-Pacific region,
10:09.6
but also the cooperation,
10:11.7
the economic cooperation
10:12.9
that we are putting together
10:14.8
with both Japan and the United States.
10:17.7
This is definitely going to be
10:19.5
not only good for the Philippines
10:21.2
but good for the Indo-Pacific region.
10:23.0
This will actually define
10:24.3
the future of what our area
10:27.4
will be like in the future.
10:29.7
Now, what are the expectations?
10:31.9
When the President arrives in the U.S.
10:35.2
he'll first have a bilateral meeting
10:37.4
with U.S. President Joe Biden.
10:42.3
The meeting will take place.
10:45.4
President Biden has invited
10:46.7
President Marcos for a meeting with him
10:49.6
at the White House on April 11,
10:51.8
and shortly after that,
10:54.3
the Prime Minister of Japan
10:56.2
will be joining them
10:57.9
in a trilateral summit meeting.
11:01.8
So, the trilateral summit meeting
11:03.8
happens after the bilateral meeting.
11:07.0
And then, is there another trilateral meeting
11:09.4
with Cabinet officials
11:11.3
coming from the Philippines?
11:14.2
Actually, there will be simultaneously,
11:16.5
well, almost on the same day
11:18.7
and then perhaps the next day,
11:20.4
we will have trilateral meetings
11:21.7
between our Secretary of National Defense,
11:24.0
our Secretary of State,
11:24.3
the Department of Defense
11:25.6
of the United States,
11:27.6
and also the Ministry of Defense
11:33.3
Together with that,
11:34.4
we will also have Secretary of State
11:37.1
and the Secretary of Foreign Affairs
11:38.6
will also have a meeting at the same time.
11:41.1
And then, on the economic side,
11:43.1
we will have the Department of Trade,
11:46.2
and the Commerce Secretary
11:47.7
will also have a meeting separately
11:50.1
to discuss all the aspects
11:53.1
of our relationship
11:54.0
with both Japan and the United States.
11:57.8
So, this trilateral meeting,
11:59.6
does it only or solely focus
12:01.9
on the issues of the West Philippine Sea?
12:05.1
Or is that the main focus?
12:10.0
it is really not,
12:12.4
it's very unfortunate
12:14.2
that China looks at this
12:15.3
that is directed towards them.
12:19.9
the trilateral meeting
12:21.0
is mainly a cooperation
12:23.0
of the United States
12:24.0
of three countries
12:25.7
that believe that it is in their interest
12:28.7
that we have this very strong cooperation.
12:32.1
Not necessarily on defense alone,
12:34.7
the economic cooperation.
12:36.3
And there are many aspects
12:37.2
of the economic cooperation that we have,
12:39.2
like the clean energy,
12:43.2
All of these things
12:44.1
are part and parcel
12:45.3
of what we see as important
12:47.5
for the three countries.
12:49.8
there are other countries
12:50.7
that most likely will be joining in
12:56.9
the President is also being criticized
12:59.1
for actually escalating
13:01.0
tensions with China.
13:04.1
I want to ask you,
13:05.2
the fact that he's visiting
13:06.4
the United States
13:07.4
for the fourth time.
13:09.5
Some critics have said,
13:11.2
shouldn't the President
13:13.3
with ASEAN leaders,
13:16.4
instead of always
13:17.5
leaning towards the United States
13:20.6
when it comes to our maritime issues
13:23.0
in the West Philippine Sea?
13:26.2
that is absolutely not true.
13:29.5
President Marcos has reached out
13:31.2
to many of our ASEAN neighbors,
13:33.3
specifically Vietnam,
13:40.2
He has met with all the other presidents.
13:45.1
we have overlapping claims
13:46.8
in the same area,
13:48.1
but we are talking to them,
13:50.0
meaning the President himself
13:51.2
has indicated that he would like
13:53.0
to see some cooperation
13:54.0
with these other countries.
13:56.1
The United States
13:56.8
is an old ally of the Philippines,
13:58.8
and there's no question about it.
14:01.2
nobody can question the fact
14:02.9
that we have been
14:03.8
with the United States
14:04.7
for a very long time.
14:06.7
This is a country that feels
14:08.2
that if they can help us,
14:11.2
especially since it also jibes
14:12.9
with their own national interests,
14:15.1
then it is only natural for us
14:17.2
to have this type of defense strategy
14:21.0
with the United States.
14:23.0
The United States
14:24.6
on many occasions,
14:25.9
not only to President Marcos,
14:27.5
but to other presidents as well
14:30.1
that we would like to have
14:31.2
a stronger relationship.
14:33.5
the Visiting Forces Agreement
14:34.9
was signed during the time of what,
14:38.5
and then there was the EDCA,
14:40.8
which was signed during the time
14:41.9
of the late President Noynoy Aquino.
14:46.1
is part and parcel
14:47.9
of what President Marcos
14:49.7
is just simply continuing
14:51.6
this relationship
14:53.0
that we have with the United States.
14:53.6
And the fact that he's been invited
14:55.9
to come to the United States
14:57.2
doesn't really mean
14:59.3
that he comes here
15:00.7
because we are trying to lean
15:03.5
just totally with the United States.
15:05.4
As he has clearly said,
15:07.4
multilateral approach
15:08.6
to the problems in the region
15:16.5
is the foreign policy
15:17.7
that he has already spelled out.
15:21.0
Now, how did this trilateral
15:23.6
summit come to be?
15:25.2
Who actually called
15:26.8
or asked for the summit?
15:28.7
Because China's also reacted
15:30.6
to Japan and said
15:32.4
that Japan should already learn
15:34.4
its lessons from history.
15:36.7
So how did this trilateral
15:38.5
summit come to be, sir?
15:42.6
in fact, I was with the President
15:46.4
the ASEAN meeting
15:48.6
in Indonesia, in Jakarta.
15:53.6
there was a side meeting
15:55.1
between Prime Minister Kishida,
15:58.1
President Marcos,
15:59.0
and Vice President Kamala Harris.
16:01.5
It was actually during that meeting
16:03.1
that they were saying
16:03.9
that we should try to look for ways
16:05.6
and means to cooperate together
16:07.1
in finding ways to be able
16:09.5
not only to resolve
16:10.6
some of the issues
16:11.2
surrounding the West Philippine Sea
16:13.3
or the South China Sea,
16:14.3
but more importantly,
16:16.0
a stronger cooperation
16:17.7
in the economic sphere.
16:22.0
that was the takeoff.
16:24.7
And President Biden,
16:27.5
he's facing an election now.
16:30.9
that perhaps inviting
16:32.2
both President Marcos
16:33.5
and Prime Minister Kishida
16:35.2
to a summit in Washington, D.C.
16:36.8
would be a perfect time
16:39.9
especially at this juncture
16:42.1
where we have all these challenges.
16:45.0
Now, the Philippines
16:46.2
or our Philippine Navy,
16:48.0
our Philippine personnel
16:49.0
has been experiencing
16:51.1
what's been described
16:53.6
anti-zone tactics.
16:56.6
Some have described it
17:01.0
to actually trigger
17:02.2
the Mutual Defense Treaty.
17:04.6
What are our expectations
17:07.6
that would actually change
17:12.4
in the West Philippine Sea?
17:18.2
I think our Defense Department
17:19.7
has said it on many occasions
17:21.2
that they are doing
17:23.1
maximum tolerance
17:24.5
or maximum restraint.
17:27.3
We are doing everything we can.
17:29.7
As the President just said
17:31.2
in that clip that you had,
17:35.2
that he would like to find ways
17:36.6
and means to continue
17:39.8
to be able to have a dialogue
17:43.1
The baseline being
17:44.3
that we have to recognize
17:45.6
the fact that we are
17:47.2
protecting merely our territories.
17:50.1
The President has said
17:51.3
on many occasions
17:54.9
what he is supposed to do
17:56.6
to protect the territory
17:58.2
of the Philippines.
17:59.3
That is his duty.
18:00.6
It's a constitutional duty.
18:05.8
talking to other friends
18:09.9
who work in the same,
18:11.6
who are thinking the same way.
18:13.1
They respect our territory.
18:14.5
At the same time,
18:15.8
they are supporting
18:17.5
the arbitral award
18:18.5
that was given to the Philippines.
18:23.1
on the freedom of navigation,
18:25.1
international law,
18:26.8
and the rule of law,
18:27.7
and at the same time,
18:31.6
which was agreed upon.
18:33.8
China is a member of the
18:39.7
They are signatory to that.
18:41.8
So, we're just merely
18:45.3
put together here,
18:50.7
we can talk about other issues.
18:52.7
Now, in terms of this
18:54.5
trilateral cooperation,
18:56.8
retired Senior Associate Justice
19:01.2
that the litmus test
19:06.5
oil in the reed bank.
19:09.1
Now, Malaysia's already
19:10.5
done their own exploration
19:12.0
without having to ask
19:13.4
permission from China.
19:16.4
it's been a few years,
19:18.1
and several observers
19:22.7
president actually do it?
19:25.0
Is this part of the discussions
19:27.8
in the trilateral summit?
19:31.7
I don't think it will be discussed,
19:34.3
when we're talking about energy,
19:35.9
that will be part and parcel
19:37.2
of that particular subject
19:40.8
on the energy exploration.
19:45.6
we are doing it in Malampaya,
19:47.4
and the president is very keen
19:50.0
on really increasing our energy,
19:52.2
our sources of energy
19:56.3
and exploring that,
19:58.6
exploration of those resources
20:00.7
in the West Philippine Sea
20:03.7
is part and parcel of that plan.
20:06.1
When that will be
20:07.6
something that we're still looking at.
20:09.6
The Department of Energy
20:11.6
with potential investors
20:13.6
and potential partners
20:18.9
for that particular exploration.
20:22.2
But let me also point out,
20:24.4
that the United States
20:26.1
has also encouraged
20:28.7
many of the nations in the area
20:31.3
to get together precisely to,
20:35.4
especially the ASEAN countries
20:37.1
with overlapping claims,
20:38.7
to come out with some kind of a cooperation
20:41.3
where we will be able to explore this area
20:44.7
of the ASEAN region,
20:47.0
and we can be ready to talk
20:48.5
to even China about this.
20:50.5
Actually, what's interesting,
20:52.1
I'm sorry to interrupt you,
20:57.6
Well, like I said,
20:58.7
we are finding ways
21:00.3
and means to be able
21:01.4
to use these resources
21:05.1
for the benefit of everyone.
21:09.9
and also even protecting the environment.
21:14.1
Protecting the environment
21:15.1
means protecting everyone else.
21:17.5
We know what climate change can do,
21:20.7
these are the some,
21:22.1
these are the very same things
21:23.2
that we have been pointing out
21:25.1
to our friends in the region
21:30.1
we have had no response,
21:32.9
no positive response.
21:35.7
during the time of former President Duterte,
21:37.9
I remember former Foreign Affairs Secretary
21:41.1
Alan Cayetano told me on Head Start,
21:43.7
there was a moratorium on exploration.
21:47.5
But the bigger question now,
21:49.0
since President Marcos Jr. has gone this way,
21:51.3
President Marcos Jr. has gone this way,
21:51.5
President Marcos Jr. has gone this way,
21:53.1
why isn't exploration his main agenda?
21:58.4
That would make a difference
21:59.8
in terms of his legacy
22:02.0
and walking the talk, right?
22:04.5
Why isn't it the main agenda?
22:06.8
Because the Constitution allows us to contract
22:10.3
a third part for exploration.
22:12.7
Why isn't it actually a part of the talks?
22:16.4
Well, it's not yet part of the talks,
22:19.1
but I can tell you that precisely,
22:21.2
we are doing what we're doing right now,
22:24.3
getting together with our friends and allies
22:27.5
to be able to protect our area.
22:30.7
But then together with that,
22:32.0
obviously is to make sure that the areas
22:35.1
that we are going to explore,
22:36.8
which belongs to us,
22:38.4
will have no problem or will have no hindrance
22:40.9
or any kind of aggressive behavior
22:42.8
coming from other countries.
22:44.3
And again, you know, Karen,
22:45.6
let me just point out the kind of the wrong way of thinking,
22:51.2
but for many years,
22:54.1
since the early 90s or even before that,
22:57.7
we have been patient,
23:01.1
we have been accepting most of the things
23:03.1
that have been happening in that area.
23:06.3
You know, we had people in the Scarborough Shoal,
23:13.3
we left and the Chinese remained there.
23:17.0
And up to this day, our fishermen are not allowed to go into areas where they have been.
23:20.2
And up to this day, our fishermen are not allowed to go into areas where they have been.
23:21.2
And up to this day, our fishermen are not allowed to go into areas where they have been.
23:22.7
So we have been fishing for so many years.
23:23.7
Now, what do you expect us to do?
23:25.0
Just simply sit around and just simply say,
23:27.1
go ahead and do this.
23:29.8
And so President Marcos has made it very clear
23:32.2
that he would like to look at our friends and allies
23:34.8
to be able to bond together
23:38.0
and at the same time,
23:39.6
try to find ways and means to have a dialogue.
23:42.3
But we need to have some kind of a muscle,
23:46.0
for lack of any other word,
23:47.5
to be able to implement what we have said,
23:50.0
that we will protect.
23:50.7
That we will protect.
23:51.2
Now, Ambassador, the United States is the only treaty partner of the Philippines.
23:59.0
What are we expecting from Japan in these talks?
24:02.0
Of course, strengthening trilateral cooperation.
24:06.0
That's the umbrella expectation.
24:08.9
But when it comes to the details, what are we hoping for?
24:13.7
Well, Japan and the United States have come out with an agreement now
24:17.0
that Japan will be actually manufacturing many of the things,
24:23.5
the defense equipment.
24:28.7
They're also into ship buildings.
24:30.7
They have opened up their manufacturing of the ships, perhaps.
24:38.6
And so we are going to be part of that arrangement
24:41.8
where we will be able to acquire that.
24:45.3
Some of them will probably be built
24:46.9
in the United States.
24:47.0
Some of them will probably be built in our Subic Bay area,
24:48.4
which also has a ship building facility there.
24:54.1
So this cooperation is going to help us modernize
24:57.1
not only our armed forces, our Air Force,
25:00.3
but also our Navy and our Coast Guard.
25:04.0
All of this, again, let me emphasize,
25:06.6
this is all part and parcel of what we are just doing
25:09.8
to defend ourselves from any aggression
25:12.7
that's coming from other countries.
25:17.0
What is the reaction of the Philippine government?
25:20.1
And I think moving forward,
25:22.1
as China has said that it will hold its own drills
25:26.7
in response to the Quad exercises in the West Philippine Sea.
25:32.9
Well, as long as they are doing it in the international waters,
25:40.0
obviously they can do that.
25:43.0
But we have come out with our own,
25:46.7
our own cooperation with the other countries,
25:50.6
Australia, Japan, and the United States
25:52.9
to be able to do our own drills.
25:55.7
And again, all of this is,
25:57.8
the bottom line is we are just out
26:00.2
to defend our national interests.
26:04.3
Now, you have the United States, Australia,
26:07.8
President Marcos Jr. is clearly engaging
26:11.7
with these countries,
26:13.1
but none of these countries are stakeholders.
26:15.4
And some have said the United States,
26:18.3
another superpower is in the West,
26:20.4
not our neighbor.
26:21.6
Are we lacking as a country already in terms of engaging
26:26.6
and forming stronger ties really with other stakeholders
26:33.4
in the South China Sea issue?
26:35.4
Not at all, Karen.
26:37.4
As I said, the President has reached out to our ASEAN neighbors,
26:41.6
particularly Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia,
26:46.2
All are claimants of the same area,
26:48.8
are overlapping claims.
26:50.7
And we have succeeded at least at the very least
26:54.0
for them to really seriously look into ways and means
26:57.6
to be able to cooperate in protecting the environment.
27:02.2
But then, you have some observers.
27:05.9
A political analyst once told me
27:07.8
that what President Marcos Jr. is doing won't help
27:12.0
in the sense that ASEAN is very non-confrontational.
27:15.1
So other countries with the same issues against China
27:20.7
are handling it quite differently.
27:22.7
They've said that this is not the manner
27:26.7
in handling China at its best.
27:30.7
I'm rephrasing this, of course, Ambassador,
27:33.2
but I think you'll understand.
27:35.2
This was an interview with Professor Banlawi.
27:38.2
What are your thoughts?
27:40.2
Well, that's also not quite true.
27:42.2
If you remember, there was even,
27:44.2
there was one time,
27:46.2
I don't know how long ago this was,
27:48.2
but Indonesia actually sunk one of the ships of the Chinese
27:52.2
because they were within their waters.
27:54.2
Vietnam has also very strongly and courageously fought off
27:59.2
many of these incursions that they were doing in their area.
28:02.2
We have been very patient.
28:04.2
The Filipino patience has been stretched to the limit.
28:09.2
What President Marcos is doing is just simply
28:12.2
saying that enough is enough.
28:14.2
We are now going to talk to you seriously.
28:17.2
We are not here because we want to have a conflict.
28:20.2
We're not here because we just want to have,
28:23.2
we're looking for a fight.
28:25.2
We are the ones that are being aggressively bullied.
28:30.2
And so what are we going to do?
28:32.2
The Filipino people will not stand for that.
28:35.2
And I think that's clearly on all the surveys that are coming out,
28:39.2
the Filipino people are all behind,
28:42.2
not only President Marcos,
28:43.2
but behind the country as well.
28:46.2
So we can't continue to be like this, Karen.
28:49.2
Otherwise, you know,
28:51.2
people who have this wrong notion that we'll just sit back
28:54.2
and nothing will happen to us,
28:56.2
we may wake up one day and we won't have a country anymore.
29:01.2
You make very interesting points,
29:03.2
especially about the behavior of Indonesia and Vietnam at one point.
29:08.2
So the Philippines is now pushing back.
29:11.2
But is the President ready?
29:12.2
Is the President ready for the consequences or the repercussions?
29:17.2
During the time of the late President Noynoy Aquino,
29:21.2
we've seen how China has supposedly,
29:26.2
in a way, there have been sanctions when it came to,
29:29.2
informal sanctions when it came to our export of bananas,
29:33.2
or even the lessening number of Chinese tourists in the country.
29:37.2
How is the President going to pivot?
29:40.2
Considering that may happen again?
29:45.2
The President, again, has made the right move.
29:51.2
He has reached out not only to the United States,
29:54.2
not only to our ASEAN neighbors,
29:57.2
or even to Japan in economic security,
30:02.2
but he has even gone as far as the European Union.
30:06.2
We are going, the President that is,
30:09.2
his policy is economic prosperity means economic security.
30:14.2
And that is what he's been doing.
30:16.2
Again, people have the wrong notion that he's going gallivanting,
30:19.2
traveling all over.
30:20.2
The President's tired of traveling, to be honest about it.
30:23.2
In fact, he was really,
30:24.2
he wasn't very keen about coming to Washington again.
30:27.2
But he knows how important this trip is.
30:30.2
So he has to do what he needs to do
30:33.2
to protect ourselves from any future problems
30:37.2
that may become a real problem.
30:39.2
A real major problem for us
30:41.2
if we don't do anything about it now.
30:44.2
And so defense is one of them.
30:46.2
But as you mentioned, economic security is very important.
30:49.2
And the President is doing exactly that.
30:52.2
And because of that,
30:53.2
we are obviously getting more investments.
30:56.2
People, again, are saying,
30:57.2
no, you're not getting anything out of this.
30:59.2
That's not, absolutely not true.
31:01.2
The recent visit, for instance,
31:03.2
of a big delegation headed by
31:06.2
Commerce Secretary Gina Raymundo of the United States.
31:09.2
That is a clear indication
31:11.2
that the United States is committed
31:13.2
to precisely do what it said it will do,
31:16.2
is to not necessarily to help us,
31:19.2
but to find ways and means
31:21.2
to have a stronger economic cooperation.
31:23.2
And that's exactly what we are also doing right now
31:25.2
with this trilateral summit that is taking place.
31:28.2
Japan is prepared to also come in
31:31.2
and invest not only in the Philippines,
31:33.2
but to help us in bringing up.
31:36.2
They are investing heavily into our infrastructure.
31:39.2
The subway system, the ports,
31:42.2
many other things that are going to be happening
31:44.2
in the next couple of years.
31:46.2
And all of this is not going to happen
31:48.2
in one sweep or one, you know, a magic wand.
31:52.2
It'll happen successively in the next couple of years.
31:56.2
And we can expect that.
31:58.2
And that is exactly what the President is doing.
32:00.2
It may not happen during his time.
32:02.2
I mean, the economic prosperity that we're looking at,
32:05.2
but we are now planting the seeds
32:07.2
and it's going to come out.
32:08.2
I'm very confident about that.
32:10.2
And many people are also.
32:12.2
In fact, I was just talking to Secretary Recto.
32:15.2
He sees that there will be the economic growth
32:17.2
in the Philippines will be about 6.5%
32:20.2
with foreign investments coming in successfully
32:24.2
in the next couple of years,
32:26.2
all the way up to 2028
32:28.2
when the President's term ends.
32:31.2
Before we end, I wanted to ask you
32:34.2
and follow up on the trade mission.
32:37.2
Of course, more than the trade mission,
32:40.2
I believe it was billions of dollars, right,
32:43.2
in investments in the Philippines.
32:46.2
But the President's previous visits,
32:51.2
I know that he either formed a committee or a group
32:55.2
to actually follow up on these promises
32:58.2
to make sure that they come into fruition.
33:02.2
What's happened with that, Ambassador?
33:04.2
Well, we have now Frederick Nguyen,
33:07.2
who is now the Presidential Assistant,
33:10.2
precisely to follow up on all these investments.
33:13.2
And I think the Secretary Nguyen is at one point in time.
33:17.2
Right now, he's still working hard on it.
33:20.2
In fact, he won't be able to come to Washington, D.C.,
33:23.2
although we encourage him to do so.
33:25.2
But he's quite busy precisely putting together
33:27.2
all of these things.
33:29.2
And before, I would assume
33:31.2
that before the President speaks in July
33:33.2
for his State of the Nation address,
33:36.2
you can expect him to report
33:38.2
on what are these major investments
33:40.2
that have come into the Philippines
33:42.2
and what we can expect in the future.
33:44.2
Right now, Karen, to be honest about it,
33:46.2
I'm hearing something like a hundred billion.
33:48.2
I mean, that's quite a large amount of money
33:51.2
that is being considered for investments
33:53.2
into the Philippines and the Philippine economy
33:56.2
in the next five to ten years.
33:58.2
Now, all of that is because we are now going out of our way
34:04.2
to make sure that the Philippines
34:06.2
is ready, it is a secure place to invest.
34:10.2
And having these relationships with like-minded countries,
34:13.2
including the European Union,
34:15.2
where they're very supportive of all of the Philippines,
34:19.2
is now looking into investing in our part of the world.
34:23.2
And the Philippines happens to be in the center of Asia.
34:27.2
You know, former President Trump said
34:29.2
that the most expensive real estate in Asia
34:32.2
is the Philippines because we are right in the center.
34:36.2
On that note, I want to thank you so much
34:39.2
for joining me today.
34:40.2
And good luck with the Trilateral Summit, sir.
34:43.2
We'd love to hear from you again.
34:46.2
Well, thank you very much.
34:47.2
Thank you, Karen.
34:48.2
And I hope that this will be successful for all of us.
34:51.2
Philippine Ambassador to the United States,
34:53.2
Jose Manuel Romualdez.
34:55.2
We're going to take a quick break.
34:57.2
Head Start will be right back.
35:06.2
Welcome back to Head Start.
35:23.2
Let's continue our discussion
35:25.2
on the maritime tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
35:28.2
We're now joined by Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson
35:31.2
for the West Philippine Sea,
35:33.2
Commodore Jay Tariella,
35:35.2
Commodore Tariella, good morning to you.
35:37.2
Good morning, Ms. Karen, and also to your viewers.
35:41.2
The Trilateral Summit in the United States
35:44.2
or with the United States in Japan
35:47.2
comes right after we've conducted our own drills, right?
35:51.2
With the U.S., Japan, and Australia.
35:54.2
Let's talk about the effect of such drills.
35:59.2
You've heard already a scathing response
36:03.2
from China regarding this.
36:08.2
I think it's very important for us to note
36:10.2
that even without this kind of activities
36:13.2
we had with the United States
36:15.2
or any other like-minded countries,
36:17.2
the level of tension and provocation
36:19.2
of the Chinese has always been the same.
36:21.2
They would still harass our Filipino fishermen,
36:23.2
their supply operation will always be hampered
36:26.2
by their Coast Guard vessels,
36:28.2
and they're still going to carry out dangerous maneuver
36:31.2
towards the Philippine Coast Guard vessels.
36:35.2
with or without this kind of activities
36:37.2
that we're doing,
36:39.2
Chinese has always been increasing the tension.
36:42.2
But the other good side of it is that
36:44.2
it's not just the Philippines
36:46.2
who is contesting or criticizing
36:48.2
these illegal actions of China.
36:50.2
And it's not just,
36:51.2
we're not just limited with our traditional allies.
36:53.2
Since we started this transparency strategy,
36:56.2
more countries are standing up,
36:58.2
more countries are extending security cooperation
37:01.2
with the armed forces of the Philippines
37:03.2
and willing to have this kind of activity
37:05.2
in the West Philippine Sea.
37:10.2
You did mention that,
37:13.2
three PLA vessels were discovered or were sent.
37:19.2
Can you expound on that
37:23.2
in terms of the circumstances surrounding it?
37:27.2
Because that is the latest.
37:30.2
Well, I'm not really sure
37:32.2
as to when are you referring, Miss Karen,
37:34.2
but there are a lot of PLA sightings
37:36.2
that we already did.
37:37.2
Like for example,
37:38.2
with the last resupply mission,
37:40.2
we were able to monitor
37:42.2
as many as four or five PLA Navy vessel.
37:46.2
And then this time,
37:47.2
during the Payao laying,
37:49.2
the floating aggregate device
37:51.2
that we dropped in Rizul Reef,
37:53.2
we also monitored the PLA Navy vessel.
37:55.2
So there are sightings already
37:58.2
of the People's Liberation Army Navy warship.
38:01.2
But all of these warships are not,
38:03.2
directly engaging the Philippine Coast Guard
38:06.2
or even the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
38:09.2
There are still just a bit afar
38:11.2
from our operation.
38:14.2
we can monitor them too later.
38:19.2
It's important to measure
38:23.2
if there's an improvement
38:25.2
or if we are in a situation
38:27.2
that's actually getting worse.
38:30.2
Compared to the administration
38:32.2
of former President Duterte to today,
38:35.2
where President Marcos Jr.
38:37.2
has a different foreign policy,
38:40.2
Compared to his predecessor,
38:42.2
would you say there are more Chinese vessels
38:45.2
in the West Philippine Sea or less?
38:48.2
Well, first of all, Miss Karen,
38:51.2
I think we should also understand
38:53.2
before we highlight the number of the vessels
38:56.2
of the Chinese being deployed
38:57.2
in the West Philippine Sea,
38:58.2
that this kind of harassment
39:01.2
has also been happening
39:02.2
during the time of President Duterte.
39:04.2
The only reason why we're not talking about it
39:06.2
is because we didn't choose to publicize it.
39:10.2
You know, the public,
39:11.2
the media outlets
39:13.2
are not telling the public about it
39:15.2
because we choose to be silent about it.
39:17.2
So in terms of those kind of activities
39:19.2
and illegal presence of China,
39:21.2
this has been happening
39:22.2
even during the time of President Duterte.
39:25.2
But going back to your question,
39:27.2
are there more vessels now
39:28.2
compared with the number of vessels
39:30.2
that Chinese vessels that are deployed
39:32.2
in President Duterte's time,
39:34.2
we can fairly say there is an increase.
39:37.2
But again, this is in relation
39:40.2
with our response of transparency
39:42.2
telling the world about their kind of harassment.
39:45.2
But in general, still,
39:47.2
you know, the level of provocation of China
39:51.2
remains to be the same.
39:52.2
The only difference is that
39:53.2
they don't need to send more vessels
39:55.2
because in the first place,
39:56.2
we have already told it.
39:58.2
We have already told the Filipino people
40:00.2
that we cannot do anything about it.
40:03.2
if they're going to send like two Coast Guard vessels
40:05.2
or one PLA Navy vessel,
40:07.2
they have already attained their objective.
40:09.2
But for our president now
40:11.2
who choose to publicize
40:12.2
and expose this kind of illegal actions,
40:14.2
they need to flex more muscle
40:17.2
for them to threaten us.
40:18.2
And that's the reason and the explanation
40:22.2
why China has more vessel deployment now
40:25.2
in the West Philippine Sea
40:26.2
compared with the previous administration.
40:30.2
That's quite interesting.
40:31.2
Now, let's get into detail.
40:33.2
Atty. Harry Roque was on KidStart
40:36.2
and he criticized what he described as
40:39.2
the microphone diplomacy of this administration.
40:44.2
So, I wanted to ask you specifically
40:46.2
with Ayungin Shoal.
40:49.2
there was a lot of talk of Ayungin Shoal
40:51.2
in terms of rehabilitating the BRP Sierra Madre, right?
40:56.2
What is the status of the BRP Sierra Madre
40:59.2
today, right now?
41:01.2
When was our last resupply mission
41:04.2
and when will the next be?
41:06.2
Well, to respond to your earlier question,
41:11.2
the last resupply mission is March 23.
41:14.2
And as to the next resupply mission,
41:17.2
it still depends on the Armed Forces of the Philippines
41:19.2
whenever they're going to conduct that.
41:21.2
And since the Coast Guard is just supporting
41:25.2
this military operation in BRP Sierra Madre.
41:28.2
But let me go back to the comment
41:30.2
of Atty. Harry Roque.
41:32.2
You know, people like Atty. Harry Roque
41:37.2
and some of the Chinese trolls online
41:39.2
has always been blaming this,
41:41.2
what they call, microphone diplomacy.
41:44.2
But as far as the national government is concerned,
41:47.2
this is not a microphone diplomacy.
41:49.2
This is an information strategy
41:51.2
that we choose to expose
41:53.2
the factual narrative of what's happening.
41:56.2
They are claiming that this kind of
41:58.2
strategy provokes China and escalates the tension.
42:01.2
But that's not the way it is.
42:03.2
The mere fact that more countries now
42:05.2
are standing up and supporting the Philippines
42:07.2
and more Filipino people
42:09.2
are also supportive of our approach,
42:11.2
that's the very objective of this strategy.
42:13.2
Not to provoke anybody
42:15.2
and not to escalate the tension.
42:18.2
I'm curious, within the area
42:21.2
of BRP Sierra Madre,
42:24.2
is the Philippine Coast Guard constantly
42:28.2
patrolling the area?
42:30.2
Or do we have a vessel on standby
42:32.2
near the BRP Sierra Madre?
42:34.2
Well, Ms. Karen, to be honest about it,
42:36.2
the Philippine Coast Guard
42:38.2
at any one time has three Coast Guard vessels
42:40.2
deployed in Palawan
42:42.2
and it patrols the entire vast sea area
42:45.2
of the West Philippine Sea.
42:47.2
Clearly, that's not enough, right?
42:50.2
Clearly, that's not enough.
42:53.2
But of course, we have our own way
42:57.2
We have, you know,
42:58.2
the Canadian government has been very nice
43:01.2
to support us with the dark vessel detection.
43:03.2
And of course, our other allies
43:05.2
has also supported us,
43:06.2
satellite imagery of what's really happening
43:09.2
in different parts of our West Philippine Sea.
43:12.2
So we can fairly monitor whatever is happening
43:15.2
in the deployment of the PLA Navy
43:18.2
or even the Chinese Coast Guard,
43:20.2
the Chinese maritime militia,
43:22.2
where are the areas that they are swarming.
43:24.2
Those kind of information at real time
43:26.2
our national government is pretty much aware
43:29.2
even if we have a very limited number
43:31.2
of Coast Guard vessels deployed in Palawan.
43:35.2
I'm curious, Commodore,
43:36.2
would you have any information
43:38.2
if during Duterte's time
43:41.2
there was any rehabilitation of BRP Charamadre?
43:45.2
Because this was part of the discussion
43:47.2
that we had with Attorney Harry Roque.
43:50.2
rehabilitate by all means
43:52.2
but don't announce it
43:53.2
or do it in another way.
43:56.2
That's a very delicate question, Miss Karen.
43:58.2
We should ask them, right?
44:00.2
I mean, the rehabilitation has been an issue
44:05.2
has also been raised by Attorney Harry Roque
44:08.2
as one of the provocative reason
44:11.2
why China has been giving us headache
44:13.2
in doing this supply operation.
44:15.2
But as far as the national government is concerned
44:17.2
under this administration,
44:19.2
as what has been mentioned by ADG Jonathan Malaya,
44:22.2
regardless whatever we bring to BRP Charamadre,
44:25.2
whether these are just food,
44:27.2
whether these are just personnel for rotation,
44:29.2
we should not care about what they feel.
44:31.2
This, a union show on board BRP Charamadre
44:36.2
falls within our exclusive economic zone.
44:38.2
So this is not a concern for the national government
44:41.2
as to whatever comments
44:42.2
that they're going to criticize us
44:44.2
that we're bringing in construction materials.
44:46.2
It's beside the point.
44:47.2
We have sovereign rights over these waters.
44:50.2
Regarding their comment,
44:52.2
we don't really care.
44:54.2
We don't really care.
44:56.2
That's interesting.
44:58.2
the Philippine Coast Guard Commodore,
45:00.2
another question is Scarborough Shoal.
45:03.2
What is the status today?
45:05.2
There's been a lot of talk on Scarborough Shoal,
45:08.2
especially with my interviews
45:10.2
with former Senator Antonio Trillanes
45:13.2
and the commentary of,
45:18.2
Did we lose Scarborough Shoal?
45:20.2
You know, that phrase,
45:22.2
we lost Scarborough Shoal.
45:27.2
former Senator Antonio Trillanes
45:29.2
actually disagrees with that statement completely, right?
45:32.2
So let's go on to what is the status
45:35.2
of Scarborough Shoal today?
45:38.2
let me first strengthen
45:40.2
the statement of Ambassador Valdez this morning
45:44.2
during his interview.
45:45.2
He mentioned that in Scarborough Shoal,
45:47.2
our arrangement is that
45:49.2
both parties during the standoff will pull out.
45:53.2
Philippine forces include the Coast Guard,
45:56.2
the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
46:00.2
But the Chinese forces,
46:02.2
they stayed there.
46:04.2
there are still Chinese Coast Guard vessels
46:06.2
inside Bajo de Masinlo for Scarborough.
46:09.2
Inside Scarborough?
46:10.2
Inside the Scarborough.
46:13.2
Would you know how many?
46:16.2
I responded this already to my previous interviews.
46:19.2
There were always like two Chinese Coast Guard vessels
46:22.2
mainstay inside Scarborough Shoal.
46:25.2
These are the two Chinese Coast Guard vessels
46:27.2
who have the responsibility in laying out
46:30.2
the floating barrier every time that they monitor
46:33.2
a presence of the Philippine government vessel there.
46:36.2
But let me give you a clear background now
46:40.2
of what's happening now in Scarborough Shoal.
46:42.2
During the time of the former administration,
46:45.2
we have already folded with the idea that,
46:49.2
we don't need to go near Bajo de Masinlo.
46:51.2
As far as the Philippine Coast Guard is concerned
46:54.2
and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources is concerned,
46:57.2
we don't really get near PDM.
47:00.2
As a matter of fact,
47:01.2
we always maintain like 10 nautical miles
47:04.2
to 12 nautical miles in patrolling those area.
47:12.2
recognized that we're not,
47:16.2
we don't have the ability to go beyond the 10 nautical mile,
47:19.2
12 nautical mile.
47:20.2
12 nautical mile of the Chinese Coast Guard who's in that area.
47:26.2
But for this administration,
47:28.2
for President Bongbong Marcos,
47:33.2
going beyond the 12 nautical mile mark,
47:36.2
10 nautical mile mark,
47:37.2
until we reach as low as 500 meters away from the pool already,
47:44.2
from the lagoon already.
47:46.2
for this administration,
47:48.2
for President Bongbong Marcos,
47:50.2
for the Philippine Coast Guard,
47:51.2
and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources,
47:53.2
we can already go to the,
47:55.2
to Bajo de Masinlo
47:57.2
as near as 500, 300 meters.
48:00.2
We are no longer prevented from going beyond that.
48:04.2
to be honest with you,
48:05.2
the only problem that we are now experiencing
48:08.2
whenever we patrol Bajo de Masinlo
48:10.2
is that we cannot really go inside the lagoon.
48:13.2
It's very difficult.
48:15.2
What happens when we try?
48:21.2
you know for a fact that we already
48:24.2
removed the barrier
48:26.2
by a covert operation,
48:28.2
a special operation
48:29.2
of the Philippine Coast Guard during the last year,
48:34.2
the problem now is that
48:38.2
that the Philippine Coast Guard
48:39.2
or the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
48:41.2
will be supporting our fishermen with,
48:46.2
there will be additional supplement
48:48.2
from the Chinese Coast Guard.
48:51.2
it will be like five
48:52.2
and then Chinese maritime militia will also be there from eight
48:55.2
to even 12 Chinese maritime militia.
48:58.2
And then they would start blocking
49:00.2
this small opening of the lagoon in Bajo de Masinlo.
49:04.2
That's the only reason why we are prevented
49:07.2
in entering the lagoon.
49:10.2
My last question on this is the relevance to the Filipino people.
49:13.2
What are the two Chinese vessels inside
49:17.2
Bajo de Masinlo doing?
49:20.2
Is it actually setting the stage
49:22.2
for fishing in Bajo de Masinlo?
49:25.2
Are the Chinese fishing in Scarborough Shoal
49:29.2
and the Philippines cannot?
49:31.2
Because I remember
49:32.2
during the time of former President Duterte,
49:34.2
his cabinet members would always say
49:37.2
because of the peace within the area
49:39.2
is Filipino fishermen were allowed to fish
49:42.2
outside the opening of the shoal.
49:45.2
What is really going on
49:46.2
inside Scarborough?
49:49.2
Well, we have released satellite imagery.
49:52.2
The only vessel that you can find inside the lagoon
49:56.2
are just the two Chinese coast guard vessels
49:58.2
guarding inside the lagoon.
50:00.2
But for the Filipino fishermen,
50:02.2
we have already interviewed them.
50:04.2
But are the two Chinese vessels fishing
50:06.2
or you're talking about really just
50:09.2
just actually guarding the area?
50:13.2
They are just there guarding the area,
50:15.2
preventing the Philippine government
50:17.2
from entering the lagoon
50:18.2
and also the Filipino fishermen as well.
50:21.2
And I think a reminder to all the viewers
50:24.2
is with the arbitral decision,
50:26.2
Scarborough Shoal was actually deemed
50:29.2
as a common fishing ground, right?
50:33.2
As decided by the arbitral award.
50:38.2
all countries that fish in the area
50:41.2
can actually have the right
50:43.2
to fish in Scarborough Shoal.
50:44.2
But is it right to say
50:46.2
no other country does as well?
50:49.2
Does Vietnam fish in Scarborough?
50:51.2
Not all countries, Ms. Karin.
50:53.2
Just three countries.
50:54.2
Vietnam, Philippines, and China.
50:56.2
Based on the arbitral award,
50:58.2
recognized this as a traditional fishing ground.
51:00.2
And does Vietnam fish in Scarborough today?
51:03.2
Not that we have monitored.
51:08.2
Well, on that note,
51:09.2
anything you'd like to say, Commodore,
51:12.2
Well, on the part of the Philippine Coast Guard,
51:14.2
as under the leadership of our Commandant,
51:16.2
Admiral Ron Gilgaban,
51:18.2
we're still going to support
51:19.2
the Armed Forces of the Philippines
51:21.2
and, of course, the objective of our presence
51:23.2
for food security.
51:25.2
You know, Ms. Karin,
51:28.2
we supported the Bureau of Fisheries
51:30.2
and Aquatic Resources
51:31.2
in dropping floating aggregate device
51:35.2
with a very limited number of the vessels
51:37.2
that we have in the West Philippine Sea.
51:40.2
The Filipino people can still rely
51:42.2
on the Philippine Coast Guard.
51:43.2
We're not going to be deterred.
51:45.2
We're not going to yield.
51:46.2
As what the President has mentioned,
51:48.2
our presence in the Philippine Coast Guard
51:50.2
in the West Philippine Sea,
51:51.2
the Philippine Coast Guard
51:52.2
can assure the Filipino people
51:54.2
that despite of the provocation
51:56.2
and the illegal action of the Chinese Coast Guard,
51:58.2
we're still going to deal with them professionally
52:01.2
and we're not going to be the reason of escalation.
52:05.2
I want to thank you for joining me today,
52:07.2
Commodore Jay Tariella of the Philippine Coast Guard.
52:11.2
Thank you, Ms. Karin.
52:12.2
And let's get started today, everybody.
52:15.2
I'm Carolyn Davila.
52:16.2
Thank you for watching.
52:17.2
You can play back this episode
52:19.2
on the ANC YouTube channel.
52:21.2
Stay informed and stay with ANC.
52:27.2
Relaxed some of our quarantine methods
52:30.2
and we have allowed more
