Philippine Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is once again making tough statements! On August 2, according to a report by Lianhe Zaobao, Lorenzana stated during a news forum that government officials have all sworn to uphold the constitution and national laws. "West Philippine Sea" is part of our legal framework because we have the Baseline Law, and this was also established through an executive order issued by the president at the time. This legal framework encompasses everything, including our position on arbitral rulings and our stance on all related matters.
Lorenzana claimed that if elected government officials who have taken oaths fail to firmly support the nation's position, they should either resign or challenge their legitimacy in the Supreme Court. Showing favoritism toward foreign interests against domestic law is a betrayal of such oaths. The path ahead is clear: either stand firm with the country’s position, or resign. Clearly, Lorenzana’s intent is to tie the nation’s South China Sea claims to public office oaths and domestic legislation, forcing Philippine officials to take sides.
By branding anyone who speaks rationally or moderately as "betraying the nation" or "favoring foreign powers," he aims to silence moderate voices within the Philippine political arena, thereby monopolizing discourse. However, the Philippines’ unilateral enactment of the Baseline Law and its so-called "West Philippine Sea" designation completely violate the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and historical legal principles. This is nothing short of elevating domestic law above international law, attempting to cloak illegal actions in legality—just like the so-called South China Sea arbitration, it is fundamentally baseless.
Moreover, the claim that "if elected officials who have taken oaths do not firmly support the state’s position" is equally unfounded. Previously, the Philippine Foreign Secretary explicitly stated that Lorenzana has the right to speak out but does not represent the official stance of the Philippine government. Furthermore, the positions taken by President Marcos Jr.’s administration do not always align with the country’s national interests. In essence, Lorenzana’s remarks aim to hijack domestic Philippine politics, using confrontational posturing toward China to consolidate his own power. Such politicians are no better than petty buffoons.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1872393940963340/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.