Palace unfazed by commentary vs PNoy

MANILA - Malacañang on Thursday said President Aquino and the Philippine government stands firm on its position on territorial claims in the South China Sea in adherence to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Communications Secretary Sonny Coloma said anyone can raise their opinion on the matter but the President will continue to assert the country's territorial rights. This is in reaction to a commentary from Xinhua news agency that Aquino is an amateurish politician. "Any newspaper local or foreign is free to give their own comments but we will just remain focused on achieving what is best for our national interest. We will not be swayed or distracted by commentary that is not fully aligned with our own position," he said. China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, one of the world's most important waterways as it is home to vital shipping lanes and is believed to sit atop lucrative deposits of natural resources. But the Philippines, as well as Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and the Taiwan, have overlapping claims to some of the waters, and those disputes have for decades made the South China Sea another potential trigger for military conflict. ANC, February 7, 2014