By Argyll Cyrus Geducos

Malacañang said there is nothing wrong with President Duterte going into a mutual agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the fishing activities in the disputed waters, saying it did more good than harm for the Filipino fishermen.

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo
(OPS / MANILA BULLETIN)

Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement after former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario that Duterte’s remarks regarding the West Philippine Sea is a ground for impeachment, adding the President violated the Constitution for failing to protect the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

On Wednesday evening, Duterte said that Filipino fishermen are allowed back in the disputed waters because that was agreed during his first trip to Beijing, China in 2016.

In his Thursday press briefing, Panelo said that Duterte’s critics always have the right to file an impeachment complaint against the President. However, he added that Duterte cannot be stopped from doing what he thinks is best for the country.

“Under the Constitution merong (there are) provisions on impeachment. Kung naniniwala sila na may ginawa siyang impeachable ground, eh ‘di mag-file (If they feel he did something impeachable, then they should file an impeachment complaint),” he said.

“But you cannot stop the President from doing measures, steps that to his mind is the correct way to obey the constitutional command to him to protect and to serve the Filipino people,” he added.

“There is only one very important duty of the President and that is to serve and protect the Filipino people,” he continued.

According to Panelo, there was also nothing wrong with Duterte making an agreement with Xi because it was for the benefit of the Filipino fishermen.

“Yung ginawa ni Presidente more on ano ‘yan eh (What the President did is), more on avoiding dangerous situations that will affect millions of Filipinos,” he said.

“Wala naman siyang ginawa na masama doon. Nakabubuti nga ‘yon ngayon nakaka-fish yung mga fisherman natin doon sa mga areas na dati ayaw nila (There was nothing wrong with what he did, it even helped because now our fishermen can go to areas they weren’t allowed to enter before),” he added.

“Ano ba ang unconstitutional doon sa napag-usapan nila na ‘wag magkagulo doon sa isang lugar? Kasi tandaan niyo, this is a disputed territory. Mabuti sana kung hindi (What is unconstitutional about talking peace in a certain area? You must remember, that is a disputed territory. It’s another story if it is not),” he continued.

Panelo also said that any country, including the Philippines, is allowed to share their EEZ with other countries.

“Under the Constitution, even the so-called sovereignty over certain natural resources, merong provisions na nagka-qualify like pwede tayo pumasok ng joint venture agreement. Kumbaga yung (there are provisions which tell us that we can go into a joint venture agreement. It means that) sovereignty, even in our Constitution, is not absolute,” he said.

“We are in a world, we are not in an island na tayo-tayo lang (on our own). We have to deal with nations of the world, kailangan din natin ang tulong nila. Kailangan natin ang kanilang investments. Kaya (We need their help and their investments. That is why) even our Constitution allows certain actions that will effectively diminish the sovereignty of this country,” he added.

Talks about the country’s rights in the West Philippine Sea resurfaced after 22 fishermen were abandoned at sea after their boat was hit by a Chinese Vessel near the Recto Bank last June 9.