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OPTIONS LAID OUT DURING NSC MEET

Gov't yet to decide on next move after South China Sea ruling –Dureza


The government has yet to reach a final decision on how it would deal with the territorial dispute on the West Philippine Sea following an arbitral court's favorable decision on the Philippines' case against China, a senior official said Thursday.

At a forum organized by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines, presidential peace adviser Jesus Dureza said options were laid out during Wednesday's meeting by the National Security Council (NSC), but no final action has been agreed on yet.

"No decision yet but all options were put on the table to consider," Dureza said when asked what was discussed during the NSC meeting. He refused to give other details.

"I will not disclose what has been discussed otherwise we will be disclosing to all parties," Dureza said.

China has refused to recognize a ruling by The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration  that invalidated its vast territorial claims in the South China Sea and did not take part in the proceedings brought by the Philippines.

The PCA's extensive decision also said that China's construction on Mischief Reef had "violated the Philippines' sovereign rights with respect to its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf."

Aside from China and the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam all have rival claims of the vast resource-rich waters.

Dureza said aside from the West Philippine Sea and the ruling of the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration, the NSC also tackled the illegal drug problem. Dureza also said he presented the peace roadmap during the hearing.

Among those present during the meeting were former Presidents Fidel Ramos; Joseph Estrada, who is now mayor of Manila; Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, a lawmaker representing Pampanga; and Benigno Aquino III.

Sought for comment on the NSC meeting, Senator Panfilo Lacson, who attended the hearing in his capacity as chairman of Senate committee on public order and illegal drugs, said the meeting "had direction, it had substance, it had consensus and unity of purpose."

He added that each of the former heads of state gave their valuable input on what the country needs to do to advance national interest regarding the arbitral tribunal ruling on the West Philippine Sea issue, the peace talks with rebels, and the fight against illegal drugs.  —KBK, GMA News

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