Enrile to Miriam: ‘We can’t fight China with saliva’

MANILA, Philippines – “What do we have? Our laway (saliva)?” 

Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile criticized his archenemy Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago for opposing a Philippine-United States military deal widely seen to counter China’s growing naval power in the South China Sea. 

Enrile rejected the Senate resolution that Santiago sponsored on Tuesday, November 10, declaring the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) invalid for lacking Senate approval. (READ: 15 senators vote against PH-US military deal) 

A former defense minister, Enrile said that the deal will help the Philippines respond to Chinese aggression in the disputed sea. 

“An alliance with anybody with the naval capability like the US, we should welcome as a boon to our security,” he told reporters. 

In a swipe at Santiago, he said: “Let the talkative ones hold the guns to fight the people who will be coming here to invade us if we cannot settle these problems in a peaceful manner.” 

VIDEO: Enrile on @senmiriam‘s stance vs EDCA: Let the talkative ones hold the guns to fight China @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/839mq2N4hA

— Ayee Macaraig (@ayeemacaraig) November 10, 2015

In a vote of 15-1-3, the Senate passed Santiago’s resolution on Tuesday. The resolution expressed “the strong sense” of the chamber that the EDCA is a treaty that should have undergone Senate scrutiny. 

Enrile was among the 3 senators who abstained from the vote, saying EDCA’s legality should be left to the Supreme Court to decide. 

The minority leader said the Philippine military, one of the weakest in Asia, is unable to stand up to China’s military and coast guard. 

“My God, we are facing a problem that’s beyond the capability of the country to handle militarily, even politically. Why should we be quibbling about our relationships with other countries? As far as security is concerned, it’s the primary function of government and the entire people of the nation to maintain security,” he said. 

The military deal gives US troops wider access to Philippine bases, and allows Washington to build facilities like barracks, warehouses, and fuel depots in the bases. It is widely seen as a response to Manila’s dispute with Beijing over the South China Sea. The US is a treaty ally of the Philippines. 

The EDCA was signed in April 2014 ahead of US President Barack Obama’s visit to Manila. It has yet to be implemented as the deal is pending before the High Court for over a year now. 

Obama will again visit Manila next week for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Media reports say the Philippine Supreme Court might rule on the deal in time for his trip. (READ: No verdict yet on EDCA) 

VIDEO: @senmiriam on EDCA: Naive to think US will come to PH aid in maritime dispute with China @rapplerdotcom pic.twitter.com/8P6WV7qVwO

— Ayee Macaraig (@ayeemacaraig) November 10, 2015

Miriam: US working in the dark 

Under the Philippine Constitution, a treaty requires the approval of at least two-thirds of the 24-member Senate. 

Santiago’s resolution argues that the EDCA is a treaty. The Palace insists that the deal is an executive agreement that merely implements past treaties with Washington like the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty and the 1998 Visiting Forces Agreement. 

A legal expert, Enrile said he is not advocating that the Philippine government violate the Constitution. 

“But we must be very careful in saying anything that will impart to others hearing us that we are shackled by all kinds of limitations. We must remember we are dealing with 100 million lives of Filipinos here.”

He added: “We do not quibble about technicalities when it concerns the survival of the country.”

Santiago laughed when asked about statements of EDCA proponents that the deal will help address the maritime dispute. “Maniwala ka!” (Do we really believe that?) 

The 2016 presidential candidate and international law expert said the Philippines must not rely on the US to defend its interests in its row with the Asian superpower. 

“There is no possible basis for saying, ‘It’s simple. Let’s just side with America and it will fight the Chinese for us and that will be over.’ Of course not! What are you saying? America is working in the dark, just like China, just like any other intelligent state, we don’t know what they are really doing,” Santiago told reporters. 

“We must rid ourselves of this naive attitude that we are moving markers or chess pieces on a board, and we can see everything they are doing.” 

Santiago said the relationship between the US and China is so complex for Washington to limit it to the South China Sea issue. The same goes for US ties with the Philippines. 

“The US has its own dearest desires of the heart, and they will not let us know what it is. We will only know if they ask for some things and if we don’t give them a categorical answer, they will then not give us an answer,” she said. 

The senator said the US will respond to the Senate vote against the military deal.  

“Today, it has been disapproved by the Senate. Maghanap na sila ng ibang pagkukuhanan nila.” (They should find something else to rely on.) – Rappler.com