Here’s where the presidentiables stand on the West Philippine Sea dispute

During the same debate, fellow presidentiable Sen. Grace Poe agreed with Miriam in that the EDCA should have gone through senate ratification. However, unlike Miriam, she is in favor of bilateral talks and supports the current government’s decision to pursue an arbitration case against China.

“We really need to continue with our arbitration case. China and the Philippines are both signatories to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. On the other hand, our relationship with China dates back centuries,” Poe said in a forum organized by the Rotary Club of Manila last year. “I think we should continue bilateral talks in other aspects. There are other concerns, for example our economic relations, the humanitarian aid they sometimes give, and our cultural exchanges.”