00:00 President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said that the Philippines is ready to file a complaint
00:06 if the Chinese fishermen's use of cyanide in the Bajo de Masinloc is proven.
00:13 Meanwhile, the President assured that the country's intelligence service will be strengthened
00:19 in the face of new and emerging threats.
00:22 Kenneth Paciente has a report.
00:26 Following the Chinese fishermen's non-compliance with the Bajo de Masinloc,
00:31 President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assured that the Philippines is ready to file a complaint
00:36 if the country's legal basis for the alleged incident is proven.
00:40 In the BFAR report, the Chinese fishermen used cyanide in the Scarboro Shoal
00:47 to destroy the place so that the Filipinos will not be able to fish there.
00:51 If we feel that there is enough ground to do so, we will.
00:55 However, the Executive Board of the Philippine Government has decided that it has been doing this for a long time.
01:00 But it is more alarming now, especially since this is happening more often in the Philippine waterways.
01:07 I do know that there are cases of cyanide fishing before, even here in the Philippines.
01:12 But I think the reason that it has become more alarming is that it has become more prevalent.
01:19 That is why we are remembering this.
01:21 For the Office of the Solicitor General, the investigation of the alleged incident of the use of cyanide in the Bajo de Masinloc should be conducted.
01:29 Soldier Menardo Guevara said that if this is one of the bases of the environmental case against China,
01:35 there should be heavy evidence to prove this.
01:38 The OSG, DFA, DOJ, and National Security Council are ready to help if the President has enough evidence
01:46 to file a case or complain against China because of the incidents in the West Philippine Sea.
01:51 For now, the Task Force for the West Philippine Sea has ordered the BFAR to find additional evidence
01:57 to support their statement on the cyanide fishing of Chinese fishermen in the Bajo de Masinloc.
02:03 In regards to the Charter Change, President Marcos Jr. once again gave the order
02:07 that he wants to have the children in the Senate and Congress agree
02:11 and to prioritize the economic provision of the 1987 Constitution.
02:15 What for me is more important than to make these proclamations, what's the pronouncements,
02:20 what's more important is to get it done.
02:22 So that's what we are doing. We do it quietly. We do it, you know, without any fuss.
02:28 We just want to get those amendments incorporated into the Constitution
02:38 to improve the chances of investment and upskilling of our people.
02:46 The President also said that the issue of amendments to the Constitution should not be raised,
02:51 especially since he has been talking about it for a long time with the two Congressmen.
02:55 I don't know why there is such, it's really a storm in the teacup because this has been decided very long ago
03:03 by the leaders of both houses. Maybe I don't proclaim, but I am saying that I need to enter.
03:13 I have been talking about amendments for a long time.
03:17 The President also insisted that there should be no jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in the country.
03:23 This is the answer of the President following the approval of 55 percent of Filipinos
03:28 that the country should help in the ICC.
03:31 It opens Pandora's box because still those questions of jurisdictions and sovereignty,
03:38 that I haven't yet seen a sufficient answer for.
03:42 Until then, I do not recognize their jurisdiction in the Philippines.
03:48 That seems to be the only logical conclusion that we can come to in that situation.
03:54 But is there a possibility that the President's mind can change when there are additional evidence?
04:00 No. It's not about the evidence. It's about the jurisdiction of the ICC in the Philippines.
04:07 They can produce as much evidence as they want, but they cannot act upon it in the Philippines.
04:12 That's the point.
04:14 The President also does not approve or deny the presence of the ICC in the country.
04:18 They haven't done anything illegal. Once they do, of course, we will do something about it.
04:26 But we are an open country. We are not a closed country.
04:32 The President also assured that the country will strengthen the intelligence service in front of the countries in the government and national security.
04:40 The President said that the work of the ICC is well-organized so that the security of the Philippines will not be compromised.
04:48 We get things done. We get more things done than most other people.
04:54 So I think that's the most important thing. I don't know how you would define one or the other.
04:59 But it's important that we are here to serve.
05:03 So as long as we are able to do that, then we are effective. And that's what's important.
05:08 Kenneth Paciente for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.
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