By Camille A. Aguinaldo
Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter S. Cayetano on Monday took the advice of former President Benigno S. C. Aquino III to seek answers through a simple search online on the previous administration’s response to the South China Sea dispute but noted that it revealed “far more serious problems that emanated from an unclear chain of command.”
“You know very well the questions I asked cannot be answered by a simple Google search alone. In fact, your suggestion to Google your answers to my questions led to more questions than answers,” he said in his second open letter posted on Facebook late Monday.
“It revealed far more serious problems that emanated from an unclear chain of command, serious miscalculations, and the absence of an end game for the country,” he added.
Mr. Aquino last Friday said the former senator had access to files and persons concerning the issue. Answering the questions raised by Mr. Cayetano point-by-point would provide China “a goldmine of information and intelligence” or what he described a “playbook” on the country’s strategy, he added.
In response, Mr. Cayetano listed another 11 questions on the standoff incident in Scarborough shoal in his second open letter.
“Why did we need to send a backdoor negotiator to resolve the standoff in Scarborough shoal? Were the efforts of then Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario to deal with the problem not enough?” one of his questions stated.
Back in 2012, the Philippine Navy ship was about to apprehend Chinese fishing boats poaching Scarborough shoal when Chinese surveillance ships blocked them. The surveillance ships have placed themselves between the Philippine warships and the Chinese fishing vessels, preventing the Filipino navy officials from making arrests.
He also raised the reported disagreement between former Secretary Albert F. Del Rosario and Senator Antonio F. Trillanes IV on dealing with the issue, citing a 2012 report from the Philippine Daily Inquirer showing Mr. Del Rosario’s disapproval of the backchannel negotiations.
“Senator Trillanes reportedly told you that Secretary del Rosario had been giving you false information about Chinese actions. What were these supposedly false information? Were these information indeed proven to be false?” the Foreign Affairs Secretary asked Mr. Aquino.
In a statement on Sunday, Mr. Trillanes said he was officially designated by Mr. Aquino as backchannel negotiator in May 2012 to deescalate the tension in the shoal.
Mr. Cayetano then asked whether there was an agreement for the withdrawal of Chinese and Philippine ships in the shoal or whether the former President received a commitment from the United States to help the country on the dispute.
He also requested him to point out the provision of the arbitral award where Philippine rights were upheld in cases of militarization in the disputed area or standoffs.
“Couldn’t we have sent back our ships to Scarborough even while we were taking steps to bring the case to arbitration? Why not?” he also asked.
He added that Mr. Aquino still refused to shed light on the issue to Filipinos even as his “playbook” was already known to the Chinese government.
“Our current playbook is what we have to guard closely, not yours. Yet you and your allies continue to undermine the present approach that is called for in our current playbook. Do you or don’t you want to protect our country’s interest?” he said.
