In his first cabinet meeting after taking his oath as president on June 30, Rodrigo Duterte slid into his most comfortable mode: rambling on about ways to cut red tape for the poor and setting up a 24-hour hotline for complaints that would directly come to his attention.

But Duterte was upstaged by his foreign secretary, Perfecto Yasay Jr., when it came to foreign policy, an issue that is being closely watched by the littoral nations of the South China Sea as well as the United States and the Western powers.

In 12 days, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is expected to hand down a decision on a case the Philippines lodged in January of 2013 against China, which has claimed most of the South China Sea within its so-called nine-dash line. International legal experts expect the ruling to be favorable to the Philippines. If the Philippines wins it would send ripples across the world, with China having refused to participate in the case and saying it would reject the ruling.

Duterte said dealing with the issue should be done with a “soft landing” because it would put the country in an “awkward position” with China. “God knows I don’t want to declare any fighting with anybody,” he said.

He then urged Yasay to speak, flicking his wrist to check the time, perhaps unmindful that in the next few minutes the country’s new top diplomat was about to spill an unsettling stream of consciousness on a live broadcast to a nation that has felt helpless about external defense.

In words that gave away leverage over a case that has been painstakingly undertaken by the previous administration, Yasay said he was “averse” to taking a strong stand against China. His briefings with foreign diplomats “especially those who are concerned about ensuring freedom of navigation and maritime security … would like for us to make stronger statements” if the ruling is on the side of the Philippines.

http://www.asiasentinel.com/politics/philippines-new-president-south-china-sea/