REP. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro 2nd District yesterday, Sept. 22, made a call to the Philippine government. His plea is for the formation of a special task force.
"This task force would be responsible for creating a proposal," said Rodriguez adding that the proposal would address temporary solutions and compensation related to China's activities in the West Philippine Sea, also known as WPS.
The call was made during the 2024 budget discussions for the Department of Justice, or DOJ.
Rodriguez requested that the government set aside P10 million.
This money would be used to create a specialized group under the Office of the Solicitor General, or OSG, according to Rodriguez.
Rodriguez expressed concern about the challenges that could arise if this issue is presented to the United Nations General Assembly, or UNGA.
He noted that the situation with China is complex due to the country's economic and political relations with many other nations.
"Many countries have complex economic and political ties to China. Many are beholden to China," he stated.
The lawmaker from Mindanao emphasized the need for the special task force.
He said the task force would explore alternative legal solutions to address China's ongoing offenses against Filipinos.
Rodriguez believes that this approach could provide the Philippines with the justice it seeks.
Rodriguez also elaborated on the potential role of the special task force.
"The special task force shall be mandated to come up with a well-researched and thorough proposal outlining provisional remedies and potential avenues for seeking compensation for damages incurred by the Philippines," he explained.
In response to Rodriguez, Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra acknowledged that the OSG has already formed a team of highly skilled solicitors with international law and arbitration expertise.
This team is dedicated to analyzing the legal actions that the Philippine government can take.
Guevarra also assured that if the House Committee on Appropriations agrees to allocate funds for the formation of the task force, the OSG will conduct a comprehensive study.
This study would be done in consultation with Congress to determine the best approach for the West Philippine Sea issue.
"We have to work towards a peaceful resolution of the WPS issue and ensure that we uphold the sovereign rights and interests of the Filipino people," Rodriguez said.
