By Joann Santiago
MANILA, Oct. 4 (PNA) — The Philippine government’s decision to stop all construction works in Pag-asa Island will not weaken its position over the contested island, Malacanang said Saturday.
In an interview over state-owned Radyo ng Bayan (DZRB), Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said “it will not weaken our position” since the government is just maintaining moral highground vis-à-vis a case it filed before the international Artibtral Tribunal.
”We have adopted a position that we will not do anything to raise tensions or to escalate tensions or to conduct any action that will be construed as provoking the other side on this issue,” Valte said.
The Philippine government has submitted a case before the UN tribunal to prove its claims over some islands in the West Philippine Sea, which China also claims as is its own.
And because of this the government has stopped construction works in one of the contested island.
Valte stressed that “after the assessment of that particular situation it was concluded that it would be best for the time being, considering that we have already filed a case in the arbitral tribunal, just to maintain our position and our footing in that particular case.
She explained that despite the temporary work stoppage on some infrastructure projects in Pag-asa Island the government still provides needed services to the people in the area.
“We just need to make sure that we maintain moral high ground because we filed a case before the Arbitral Tribunal. We don’t want to deviate from the process we’ve chosen to avoid incidents that may be construed as ramping up tension or trying to provoke any of the countr[ies], the claimant countries that are involved. So at least, for this time, we are sticking to that tack,” she added. (PNA)