Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr reiterated that only the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) should speak on the country’s foreign policy, including China, after Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque claimed that Julian Felipe Reef was “outside” the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 

“There is only one voice on what’s ours: mine. Period. Not even the military has any say. I speak for the President on this subject,” Locsin said in a tweet on Tuesday night, May 11.

In series of tweets, Locsin said the DFA had “exclusive remit” on the issue and that only the DFA could speak for President Rodrigo Duterte on foreign affairs matters.

The tweets were triggered by Roque’s claim that the Philippines “cannot do anything” about the Chinese vessels in Julian Felipe Reef since it was supposedly not within the Philippines’ EEZ.

In response, Locsin tweeted, “What can we do? Let’s try this: Drop the subject and leave it entirely to the Department of Foreign Affairs under ME, the only expert on the subject bar none.”

He added: “This is my last warning. When it comes to foreign affairs the Department of Foreign Affairs has the exclusive remit.”

Roque had claimed that Julian Felipe Reef (Whitsun Reef), a boomerang-shaped shallow coral reef, is outside the country’s EEZ but is still being claimed by the Philippines through a Marcos-era presidential decree.

Roque made the claim even after the DFA filed daily diplomatic protests against the continued presence of Chinese vessels in Julian Felipe Reef which is part of the Philippines’ EEZ. Both Locsin and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had repeatedly demanded the immediate withdrawal of these ships.

Roque’s position

Roque made his claim about Julian Felipe Reef in a virtual briefing on Tuesday, where he said the administration’s “enemies” were making a big deal over the presence of the Chinese ships there as part of attempts to hit Duterte’s approach to China. The ones who have been most vocal about the presence of these ships, however, are Locsin and Lorenzana.

“Hindi ‘yan kabahagi ng EEZ ha, ‘yung Julian Felipe. Labas po ‘yan, ganyan po kalayo ‘yan…. Pinalalaki po ‘yan ng ating kalaban talaga (That’s not within our EEZ, that Julian Felipe. It’s outside, it’s that far…. Our enemies are really making a big deal out of it.) 

Julian Felipe Reef is within the 200-nautical mile EEZ of the Philippines, located 175 nautical miles west of Bataraza, Palawan, and within the 12-nautical mile territorial sea of Grierson Reef, which is occupied by Vietnam but claimed by the Philippines as part of the Kalayaan Island Group. 

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The DFA said the Philippines’ position on Julian Felipe Reef and the illegal presence of Chinese ships in the area remained unchanged despite Roque’s remarks. It also earlier pointed out that while Julian Felipe Reef is located 175 nautical miles west of Bataraza town in Palawan, it was 638.229 nautical miles from Hainan Island.

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Locsin twits Roque: ‘Just lay off foreign affairs’

This is not the first time Roque made claims on the Philippines’ foreign policy that had clashed with statements made by Locsin. 

In February, Locsin told Roque to “just lay off foreign affairs” after the Palace spokesperson had been giving his own statements on issues including the coup in Myanmar and the South China Sea code of conduct negotiations between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China. 

“Love the guy but he’s not competent in this field,” Locsin had said at the time.  – Rappler.com