PBBM, pinawawalang-bisa ang anumang kasunduan na pinasok ng Pilipinas sa China

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PBBM, pinawawalang-bisa ang anumang kasunduan na pinasok ng Pilipinas sa China;  Pangulo, iginiit na hindi isusuko ang anumang bahagi ng ating teritoryo

Transcript

00:00 In the face of the issue of the secret agreement between the previous administration and China,

00:07 the issue of the South China Sea was first raised by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

00:12 who denied his visa to any possible agreement that the Philippines might enter.

00:17 I have said that before. When this first came up a few months ago,

00:21 and they said, it turns out that the Chinese are insisting that there's a secret agreement,

00:26 and perhaps there is, and I said I don't know anything about the secret agreement.

00:31 Should there be such a secret agreement, I am now rescinding it.

00:35 So I've rescinded it, if indeed it exists.

00:38 According to the President, it's too early to say that the former President Duterte has a liability for the issue.

00:45 Especially since he doesn't have any document to show that there was a gentleman's agreement.

00:51 Even now, the President insisted that the Philippines is not affected by the alleged agreement.

00:56 I cannot see how there could possibly be a legal liability. There is no evidence of any agreement.

01:01 Is there a document that is signed? I'd love to see it. It does not affect the Philippines.

01:06 President Marcos Jr. also insisted that the Philippines will not surrender any part of our territory

01:13 despite China's aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea.

01:17 The President insisted that the government will do everything to ensure that the relationship between the two countries is deep.

01:25 Just like what happened after the Philippine-US-Japan Trilateral Summit,

01:29 which he did not do to start a rift.

01:32 It is not directed at anyone or against anyone.

01:36 It is merely a strengthening or formalization and institutionalizing, I suppose,

01:43 the relationship of the United States, Japan, and the Philippines.

01:51 In front of this, the President urged the media to continue to cover up China's illegal and aggressive activities within the Philippines.

02:00 It is crucial that the media, including the members of FOCA,

02:03 to continue to expose these actions that not only threaten the peace and stability of the region,

02:08 but also undermine the rules-based order that has underpinned global development and prosperity over the previous century.

02:17 But in front of the alleged harassment of Chinese ships by our ships,

02:22 some people ask, when will the Mutual Defense Treaty of the Philippines and the United States be used?

02:28 If any Filipino serviceman is killed by an attack from any foreign power,

02:36 then that is time to invoke the Mutual Defense Treaty.

02:39 On the other hand, President Marcos Jr. also insisted that the Philippines will not give the United States

02:45 additional access to local military bases.

02:48 The President's approval to expand the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, or EDCA,

02:55 between the Philippines and the United States last April is memorable.

02:58 It allowed the existence of four additional military bases in the country.

03:03 Let me stop you right there. The answer to that is no.

03:06 The Philippines has no plan to create any more bases or give access to any more bases.

03:13 However, the President insisted that the coordination between the country and the United States,

03:18 particularly in the matter of defense, is more important than politics.

03:21 So the President hopes that even if the administration of the United States changes,

03:25 the ironclad commitment between the two countries will continue.

03:29 Inevitably, if there is a change in government, if President Biden is re-elected,

03:35 then we have a fairly solid ground to base all our positions on because we have already spoken with him.

03:44 But inevitably, if there is a change in government, then there will be changes in policy.

03:50 We do not know what those are, but I believe that what we have agreed with the United States are beyond politics.

04:01 And I think that since they almost rise to treaty agreements, those treaty agreements must be honored.

04:10 And that I think puts us on good ground.

04:14 Meanwhile, the Executive Board is also studying the possibility of Japan being included in the next year's military exercises.

04:22 According to the President, this could be considered a good move to further strengthen the relationship between the Philippines and Japan,

04:28 especially in maintaining peace and stability in the territory of the Philippines.

04:34 Kenneth Paciente for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.

04:40 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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