MANILA – The country’s arbitral victory against China in the West Philippine Sea is not being set aside, according to Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
Roque made the statement after President Rodrigo Duterte said on Wednesday evening that it was just a piece of paper fit to be thrown in the trash.
“‘Yung konteksto ng sinabi ni President na papel lang ang arbitral ruling na iyon na itatapon sa waste basket ay as far as China is concerned,” Roque clarified on Thursday.
“The President is not setting aside the ruling. Ang problema lang talaga, walang mekanismo sa international law para maipatupad o ma-enforce ang arbitral award,” he added.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague unanimously ruled in favor of the Philippines and declared China’s sweeping territorial claims illegal and have no basis under the international law.
China refused to acknowledge the ruling and did not even participated during the investigation conducted by The Hague, but insisted on the nine-dash line claim.
Roque asserted that Duterte already recognized the ruling when he raised it before the United Nations General Assembly.
“The President in fact doesn’t have to do anything because the award speaks for itself. The existence of the award is its own means of enforcement,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Department of National Defense (DND) backed Duterte’s statement and assured they will continue to defend “what is rightfully ours.”
“What President Duterte said regarding the PCA ruling is correct. There is no international law enforcement body that can enforce it,” DND secretary Delfin Lorenzana said./PN
