Metro Manila, Philippines – Malacañang defended President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s approach to the West Philippine Sea, saying former President Rodrigo Duterte treated the landmark 2016 arbitral ruling as nothing more than “a piece of paper” and failed to build on the Philippines’ legal victory against China.
The remarks came after former Philippine lead counsel Paul Reichler said in an exclusive interview with NewsWatch Plus that the Duterte administration abandoned efforts to build international support for the arbitral award, costing the Philippines nearly a decade of diplomatic momentum.
Responding to Reichler’s assessment, Palace press officer Claire Castro said the observation echoed previous remarks made by former Vice President Leni Robredo.
“Actually, hindi lang po siya ang nakapuna niyan. Nadinig na rin po natin kay dating Bise Presidente Leni Robredo na maraming nasayang na panahon,” Castro said on Monday, July 13.
[Translation: Actually, he is not the only one who noticed that. We also heard former Vice President Leni Robredo say that a lot of time was lost.]
Castro said the Philippines fought for and won the arbitral case under former President Benigno Aquino III, but the succeeding administration failed to maximize the ruling.
“Totoo naman na ipinaglaban ito sa panahon ni PNoy. Pero sa panahon ni dating Pangulong Duterte, ang arbitral award or ruling ay kinonsidera lamang na simpleng papel na puwedeng itapon sa basurahan.”
[Translation: It is true that this was fought for during the time of President Noynoy Aquino. But during the Duterte administration, the arbitral award was treated as merely a piece of paper that could be thrown into the trash.]
She also cited Duterte’s order to stop the construction of a shelter for Filipino fishermen on Sandy Cay and said Chinese vessels were later allowed to patrol the area.
Castro contrasted Duterte’s policy with that of the Marcos administration, saying the current government continues to assert the country’s maritime rights through diplomacy.
“Hindi po kasi ganiyan ang polisiya ng ating pangulo; ipaglaban ang ating karapatan sa diplomatikong pamamaraan,” she said.
(Translation: That is not the policy of our president. He fights for our rights through diplomatic means.)
As an example, Castro pointed to Marcos’ September 2023 order directing Philippine authorities to remove the floating barrier installed by the Chinese coast guard in Bajo de Masinloc.
“Hindi nag-atubili ang pangulo na gawin ang nararapat; hindi nag-provoke ng war; hindi nagkaroon ng kaguluhan, pero ipinaglaban ang karapatan at interes ng ating bansa.”
[Translation: The president did not hesitate to do what was necessary. He did not provoke a war, there was no conflict, but he defended the country’s rights and interests.]
Castro said the administration remains committed to defending the country’s rights in the West Philippine Sea while avoiding armed conflict.
“Hindi po natin gustong maging duwag ang bawat Pilipino para ipaglaban ang karapatan natin, pero hindi po tayo nagsasabi na dapat tayong sumulong sa isang giyera. Ang gusto ng Pangulo lagi, diplomatikong pamamaraan,” she said.
[Translation: We do not want each Filipino to be a coward in defending our rights, but we are not saying we should go to war. What the president wants is always a diplomatic approach.]
