Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio told senators on Wednesday (August 12) that the country needs to have government institutions to watch over its maritime resources.
This, of course, was in relation to the dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea.
Carpio said the government needed to have a tighter grip on the country’s maritime zones — and that would be something for lawmakers to think about.
He gave the senators an update on efforts to stake the country’s claims over the West Philippine Sea.
He said the United Nations Arbitral Tribunal was expected to release its decision on whether it has jurisdiction over the case in August or September.
If the decision would be favorable to the Philippines, then another hearing on the merits of the case might take place in November.
It would probably take the tribunal six months to decide on that — so that it may take until May next year.
So what would happen then?
Because China can’t be forced to abide by the decision, Carpio said the government may sponsor a resolution before the UN General Assembly to strongly urge Beijing to back off seizing control of the disputed waters.
Carpio said he was confident that the European Union (EU) and the United States, as well as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), would back the Philippines up on this.
He noted that the results of the recent ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur showed a stronger stance against China’s reclamation.
Carpio said it showed how the ASEAN was now more vocal, saying China’s actions were unnerving and they were now more determined to establish a code of conduct in the South China Sea, which includes the West Philippine Sea.
“If the decision is favorable, we are confident that other countries will support our position. If the decision is not favorable, then we will have to pay more taxes to buy more warships and planes. There will be a naval arms race and really, that is already happening now,” Carpio said.
