FRANCISCO S. TATAD
DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana’s visit to Pagasa Island in the municipality of Kalayaan in the Spratlys last week posed no threat to China of any kind. No troops were landed, neither was any offensive military structure introduced into the island, which lies 450 nautical miles from Manila and 235 miles from Palawan. Nor did the visit modify President Rodrigo Duterte’s declared policy not to assert his government’s rights vis-a-vis China on the disputed maritime areas which, according to the Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling at The Hague last July, rightfully belong to the Philippines.