MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said it would "defer" to the military establishment on the continued implementation of the provisional understanding (PU) with China if they still deemed it necessary.
DFA Deputy Assistant Secretary Rogelio Villanueva Jr. made the remark amid criticisms from retired justice Antonio Carpio on the DFA concerning the PU implementation.
Carpio criticized the Philippines' arrangement with China over Ayungin Shoal, arguing that it unnecessarily limits the country's rights in the West Philippine Sea.
Villanueva said the PU was crafted without prejudice to the 2016 Arbitral Award. It covers only the principles and approaches governing personnel rotation and the resupply (RORE) of essential materials to the BRP Sierra Madre.
"It does not, and never did, restrict or limit the exercise of Philippine sovereign rights and jurisdiction under international law," Villanueva said in a statement.
The DFA spokesman for maritime affairs on Tuesday evening said the PU was crafted with the "knowledge of the highest levels of the Philippine government."
He said the government's 15 "incident-free" RORE missions to date have been possible only through the full knowledge and coordination of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard.
"Planning and execution — scheduling, routes, vessel deployment, and determination of supplies and personnel — fall entirely within their mandate, not the Department's," Villanueva said in a statement.
"Accordingly, the Department defers to the security sector on the Understanding's continued implementation, should they deem this necessary," he added.
Villanueva said Carpio's criticism of the DFA, however well-intentioned, was misplaced. "With respect to the former Justice, the RORE missions conducted under the Provisional Understanding are the product of continuing study by all relevant government agencies."
Villanueva said Carpio's proposed alternatives, such as airdrops, drones, fast boats, were studied and weighed before and throughout the PU's implementation.
Carpio made amid recent incidents wherein the China Coast Guard harassed Philippine vessels on RORE missions to BRP Sierra Madre.
"We welcome him to raise these directly with the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard, who are best placed to assess their operational feasibility," Villanueva said.
"The Department will continue its work -- meticulous, deliberate, and undeterred -- in defense of the national interest and Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction," he said.
