DFA: ASEAN should adhere to rule of law in face of 'unilateral actions'

Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro has expressed alarm over the continued tension that Southeast Asian nations continue to witness at sea and said that the Philippines, as chair of this year's Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), is willing to work with its neighbors to contain such disputes.

- By JOSEPH PEDRAJAS

Top diplomats of all 11 ASEAN member states gathered on Thursday, Jan. 29, in Cebu for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers (AMM) Retreat, where Lazaro opened the discussions with a straightforward statement that "zero[ed] in on the core reality" that the region is facing.

She emphasized that security challenges facing ASEAN "have not only grown, but have also evolved and diversified." "The global geopolitical security environment has not only become more challenging, but it's also become more complex and interconnected," she said.

"Across our region, we continue to see tensions at sea, protracted internal conflicts and unresolved border and humanitarian concerns," she added.

Lazaro's speech, the only part of AMM Retreat that was made public, did not specify which issues she was referring to.