WPS is a private security matter now turning into a partisan issue – analyst

WPS is a private security matter now turning into a partisan issue – analyst

MANILA, Philippines — The country’s dispute with China regarding the West Philippine Sea is now turning into a political and a partisan issue amid the feud between President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and former President Rodrigo Duterte.

This is a political expert’s observation involving the worsening clash between the President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration and former President Rodrigo Duterte.

The rift between the two has grown wider more recently, after it was revealed that Duterte supposedly entered a pact with China – the so-called Duterte-China gentleman’s agreement.

This accord is seen as the possible reason for the non-repair of the BRP Sierra Madre or the Philippine military outpost at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal during his administration.

READ: Ex-president Duterte, China confirm pact not to repair PH outpost

However, according to Political Analyst Edmund Tayao, both parties could have discussed the topic privately, as it is now merely being turned into a partisan issue — a topic that should have been dealt with simply as a security matter.

“The issue of the West Philippine Sea is being used as a political issue – political in the sense that it’s being used more for partisan purposes,” Tayao told INQUIRER.net.

“But if we’re going to talk about propriety, and we’re going to speak of what’s best moving forward, it would have been best if the former president tried to speak to the incumbent president about it privately, regardless of whether they have political or partisan differences,” he said.

READ: AFP, PNP reject Alvarez’s call to turn back on gov’t

According to Tayao, since the topic directly involves the country’s security, the only ones being put at a disadvantage are the Filipino people.

“You don’t discuss very sensitive issues in public, not so much because you don’t trust the people, but you don’t want to communicate to other interested parties, foreign interested parties, to the international community, particularly China, for that matter that we have internal divisions,” he explained.

Tayao said as a former president, Duterte is automatically a member of the National Security Council, which makes it that much easier for him to privately discuss the issue with Marcos.

“Kaya sumasakay ‘yung ibang tao, kasi ginagamit nga for partisan purposes,” he noted.

(This is why some people are joining in on the issue, because it is being used for partisan purposes.)

Asked what could be the reason behind making the WPS a partisan issue, Tayao responded that it was “obviously” for political purposes.

“Ginagawang political ito (this is being made political) for obvious reasons,” he noted.

“They want people to see what they want them to see – to use it for their own purposes. Whether that is for their advantage or not, I don’t think they really thought of it that much,” he added.