AFP not expecting violence in case Hague ruling favors Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (Philippines News Agency) – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is not expecting China to do anything violent should the ruling of the Hague-based United Nations International Tribunal on the Laws of the Seas to be released Tuesday, favor the Philippines.

For this reason, the AFP chief-of-staff, Gen. Ricardo Visaya, said he sees no reason to raise the alert status of the military.

"There's no need to raise alert. We don't think China will take violent actions," he added.

Earlier, a ranking Department of National Defense official said the Philippines will comply with whatever the ruling of ITLOS will come out on July 12 regarding its maritime dispute with China.

"Whatever the outcome, the stand of the DND, is of course, we will follow what the international laws says, whatever (ITLOS's) decisions, whether it is in favor of or against us, we will follow and we hope China will do the same," DND public affairs service head Arsenio Andolong said.

"(And whatever the ruling), the President announced that he is willing to start to restart bilateral talks so we take our cue from there," Andolong stressed.

The Philippines filed the arbitration case against China's Nine-Dash-Line claim over the South China in 2013. The Philippines claims parts of the South China Sea within its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf and calls the area the West Philippine Sea.