'This one is much bigger than Portugal's first Euro football championship'

MANILA - A political analyst said Wednesday the Duterte administration should issue a stronger statement than what it gave after the ruling on the maritime dispute came out.

Professor Dindo Manhit told ANC's Headstart, the Filipino nation should have been relishing in high expectations before the decision, but the present government "was really toning down the importance of this decision."

"We should be rejoicing that we stood up for international law, the rule of law that modern nations, developed nations adhere to. We won it based on our own arguments, based on existing law, and we should claim this as a legal victory and encourage all claimant countries now to follow the international rule of law," he said.

Manhit argues that this decision from the arbitration court is an illustration of how a "micro-force" can shape the world, and must then be put front and center.

"My fear is when we try to tone it down, we kill the news, make it a simple ‘oh, it’s a decision; we cannot enforce it’, then [we’re] basically putting it aside," he said.

The award from the Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague out on Tuesday said that Manila had the right to exploit resources within its 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

READ: South China Sea tribunal: key findings

It was, however, received with a somber reaction from Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr., consistent with President Rodrigo Duterte's pronouncement that Manila would not "taunt [China] or flaunt" its win.

Manhit's sentiments on the lack of euphoria over the win is echoed by former National Security Adviser Roilo Golez, who said the Philippines should have been as euphoric as Portugal was over their first European Championship title.

"This one is much bigger; that was just a football game. We should show the same euphoria and excitement here in the Philippines—jump up and down because we won a big victory," he said.

"We won, in fact, about 50% of our exclusive economic zone in the western part of the country," he said.

Manhit and Golez agree that it was not a case of the populace not being aware of the gravity, citing surveys that showed 80% of the Filipino people are happy that the government brought the dispute to the courts, and the issue being among many people's priority topics.

They remain hopeful though, that as the new administration gets briefed further, they would the importance of the verdict.

TALKING WITH CHINA

The Duterte government is also keen on direct engagement with China after the decision is out, and if they do proceed with bilateral talks, Golez suggests looking at how the Vietnamese have dealt with China.

He cited that despite the decades-long quarrel with Beijing, Hanoi kept its diplomatic channels open.

"To me, that is part of the exercise of government, diplomacy—we quarrel, we assert our rights, but at the same time, we should keep our channels open," he said.

This, he lamented, did not happen under the administration of former President Benigno Aquino III.

Meanwhile, Manhit believes that while bilateral talks should be among the cards on the table, it should not be the immediate choice, but after the entirety of the decision is digested.

"I believe that bilateral should be a part of it, maybe not in an immediate term, but maybe after we have settled down and all these things because it will take time," he said.

He maintained, negotiating with China after the historic decision will not be treason so long as the Philippines abides by its laws on land ownership and exclusivity.

Golez also underscored that the Sino-Filipino relations are not limited to the maritime disputes, and should not be defined by one element alone.

PARTNERING WITH THE WORLD

Golez, meanwhile, said that now that the decision is out on "who owns which in the South China Sea," the United States may now come out and take a side, and side with international law.

This, he said, will also play in their national interest.

"Otherwise, they lose a big chunk of the West Pacific. China is trying to push them out of the West Pacific. China is trying to push them out of the so-called First Island Chain all the way to Guam," he said.

The win, he said, champions not only the Philippines' rights, but also the freedom of navigation afforded to all other countries.

Manhit also noted, the Philippines has had its relationship with its allies harnessed even before the decision was issued, and must make up a strong stance on the decision, and maximize it to the Philippines' strategic advantage.

"When we simply, suddenly make an abrupt turn and don’t come out strongly on legal grounds, our allies might say ‘you’re not interested? So you’re on your own there'," he said.

"The whole world will be with us because this is an international legal victory. It’s a victory for international law, and maybe use it is to our advantage to get China to talk to us from that perspective," he said.