IT seems the government doesn’t want another foreign government repeat what it said about a landmark ruling on an international dispute.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, in a press briefing, took a swipe at his Chinese counterpart Zhao Lijian who dismissed the 2016 Hague court ruling upholding the legal claims of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea as “nothing more than a piece of waste paper.”
According to Roque, the Philippines’ landmark victory before the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration which ruled that the Spratly Islands, Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, and Recto (Reed) Bank are within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone is legal and binding.
The same Hague court decision—which stemmed from a case filed by the Philippines against China—also rejected China’s expansive claims and outlawed Chinese aggression of Filipino fisherfolk in Scarborough Shoal which is a traditional fishing ground.
“Pinagdiinan ng Pangulo sa 75th General Session ng United Nations General Assembly noong September 2020 na patuloy na ina-affirm ng Pilipinas ang commitment sa South China Sea in accordance with UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral award. The President said, and I quote, ‘The Award is now part of international law, beyond compromise and beyond the reach of passing governments to dilute, diminish, or abandon. We firmly reject attempts to undermine it‘,” Roque said.
“So bilang sagot sa sinabi ng spokesperson ng Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ang tingin po natin, ang award ay kabahagi na ng international law, iyan po ay sang-ayon sa Article 38 ng ICJ Statute ay subsidiary means of finding out the applicable norm of customary international law, at iyan po ay under Article 38 of ICJ Statute, writings of the most qualified publicists on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,” Roque added.
Interestingly, President Rodrigo Duterte himself said in his previous televised national address that the 2016 Hague court ruling is just a piece of paper and that there is not much they could do against China whom he said has become the “owner in possession” of the disputed maritime region.
In a related development, the Palace spokesperson also warded off Vice President Leni Robredo’s call on the Duterte administration to resist such statements from China.
“Hindi ko po alam kung anong gusto niyang tapang ipakita. Pero nagsalita na po ang Presidente—malinaw, matapang sa UN General Assembly. The arbitral ruling is already part of international law,” Roque said.
“Kung hindi iyon matapang, ewan ko po kung ano ang matapang,” Roque added.