The Stratbase Institute has strongly criticized Vice President Sara Duterte for her recent comments on the Marcos administration’s foreign policy, particularly regarding the West Philippine Sea. In a statement, the institute said Duterte’s remarks align with Beijing’s propaganda and dangerously downplay China’s repeated violations of Philippine sovereignty.
Stratbase emphasized that her comments undermine the 2016 Arbitral Award, which legally invalidated China’s sweeping maritime claims. The think tank warned that such rhetoric supports a foreign power actively engaged in the illegal militarization of Philippine waters.
Contrary to Duterte’s insinuations of partisanship, Stratbase defended the Marcos administration’s multilateral, rules-based foreign policy, noting that security partnerships with allies such as the U.S., Japan, and the EU are grounded in international law and mutual commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.
The institute urged national leaders to reject narratives that silence China’s coercive actions—such as illegal incursions, harassment of fishermen, and aggressive maneuvers at sea—and instead unite in defending Philippine sovereignty through international legal norms and strategic cooperation.
