House urged: Declare July 12 West Philippine Sea Victory Day
MANILA, Philippines — On the fifth anniversary of the Philippines' historic arbitral win over China, Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro City) on Monday disclosed he filed a resolution urging Congress to declare July 12 of every year as National West Philippine Sea Victory Day to commemorate the victory.
He was referring to the country's victory before the UN-backed the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague which unanimously ruled in favor of the Philippines and rejected China's sweeping claims over virtually the entire West Philippine Sea area within its so-called nine-dash line.
Rodriguez, who also serves as House Deputy Speaker, said he filed House Resolution No. 1975 on July 7 to underscore the Philippines' ownership of its 200-mile exclusive economic zone which includes the Kalayaan Islands, the Spratly Islands and Panatag Shoal.
“The WPS is exceptionally biodiverse, and contains numerous species of fish, echinoderms, mangroves, seagrasses, giant clams, and marine turtles, including those considered vulnerable or endangered, and vast coral reefs,” he said, highlighting the importance of keeping the win "alive in the hearts of our people, despite others believing that it is a hollow victory."
The House solon pointed out that Filipino fishermen have long been fishing in the West Philippine Sea, adding that the territory reportedly contains trillions in cubic feet of natural gas and 5.4 billion barrels of oil, which he said could address the energy requirements of the country and lessen its dependence on crude oil imports.
“Because of the rich natural resources in the West Philippine Sea, China has made untenable claims of indisputable sovereignty over the entire South China Sea based on its so-called ‘nine-dash line’ that encroaches on 80 percent of the Philippines' EEZ in the WPS,” he said.
Rep. Manuel Cabochan (Magdalo Party-list), meanwhile called on the Duterte administration to invoke the historic arbitral ruling.
Cabochan pointed out that China has been more aggressive since 2016 knowing that Duterte "would not even buck."
“It is not merely a paper victory. It is a legal affirmation of what is ours and that China’s claims are baseless. For the President to dismiss that the arbitration ruling is just a piece of a paper implies that he does not know or understand how a landmark decision could be harnessed to pursue our national interests,” Cabochan said.
Earlier Monday, Vice President Leni Robredo also lamented what she said was the "five years of missed opportunities" for the Philippine government to assert its claim over the territory.
Former foreign affairs chief Albert Del Rosario also pointed to President Rodrigo Duterte's "failure of leadership" in managing the West Philippine Sea tensions over the past five years of his presidency, going as far as questioning the chief executive's loyalty to the country.
President Rodrigo Duterte has asserted that he cannot do anything on the maritime dispute as doing so, he incorrectly claimed, would mean going to war with the regional giant.
“Despite the clear victory of the Philippines, China has refused to acknowledge the ruling and has continued to harass Filipino fishermen and to illegally construct structures on the different islands in the WPS,” the House leader said.
“It is in this context that we should celebrate our David against Goliath triumph on July 12 of every year, but we should insist every minute that China should recognize, respect, and abide by the ruling,” he said.
— with a report from Xave Gregorio
Social media users, including former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, are reporting seeing banners saying "Welcome to the Philippines, Province of China" hanging from overpasses in parts of Metro Manila.
The sightings coincide with the second anniversary of an arbitral tribunal ruling that China's sweeping nine-dash line claim over the South China Sea has no legal basis. The Philippines has opted to play down the ruling and focus on nurturing better political and economic relations with China.
NOT FUNNY.
— florin hilbay (@fthilbay) July 11, 2018
On this day, July 12, we commemorate our victory in Philippines v. China.
On Metro Manila footbridges, these tarps suddenly appear.
MMDA, LGUs, and citizens should immediately take these down. pic.twitter.com/gDR6BMbojI
It is unclear who put up the banners, which are a possible reference to a "joke" that President Rodrigo Duterte told Chinese-Filipino business leaders in February.
"He (Xi) is a man of honor. They can even make us 'Philippines, province of China," we will even avail of services for free," Duterte said in apparent jest. "If China were a woman, I'd woo her."
The Palace said the remark was meant to impress the audience, who were Filipino citizens of Chinese descent.
A week since the seventh anniversary of the historic ruling at The Hague, activist fisherfolk group urges the government to protest the presence of more than 50 Chinese Coast Guard vessels and one "monster ship" in the Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal) before the international court.
It says that the swarming of the ships violates the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea.
“While the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) recognizes the freedom of navigation and innocent passage in open seas, a swarm of ships that creates tensions could be deemed illegal," Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) says.
"We urge the Marcos administration to protest and ultimately expel the overwhelming presence of Chinese Coast Guard vessels in our territorial waters. Their presence is a blatant display of military might to assert Beijing’s unjust claim in the West Philippine Sea. President Marcos could raise this recent swarming incident to the United Nations and reassert our sovereign rights upheld by the UNCLOS and other rules of international law," it adds.
A week before the seventh anniversary of the arbitral ruling on the South China Sea, fishers are seeking a stronger assertion of national sovereignty.
In a release, activist fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) urges the Marcos administration to “have a stronger action to assert our sovereign rights to China using the arbitral award.”
It stressed that it has been seven years since the Philippines won in the Permanent Court of Arbitration but the Chinese military facilities on seven artificial islands on the Spratlys island remain. It also cited more than 200 Chinese vessels and boats are still regularly patrolling in our territory.
PAMALAKAYA chair Fernando Hicap says President Marcos Jr. should be alarmed over the long-term impact of these actions in the fish production in the country and demanded swift action to protect Filipino fishermen from aggression.
Days after the anniversary of the historic 2016 Hague ruling, China insists the 2016 Hague ruling is "illegal, null and void."
Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin says: "The so-called award of the South China Sea arbitration seriously violates international law including the UNCLOS."
The ruling invalidates China's nine-dash claims over the South China Sea. However, Wang says: "China neither accepts nor recognizes it and will never accept any claim or action based on the award." — Kaycee Valmonte
The United States reaffirms its commitment to the Philippines on the sixth anniversary of the Hague tribunal ruling.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken says it also reaffirms “that an armed attack on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft in the South China sea would invoke U.S. mutual defense commitments under Article IV of the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.”
Blinken tthen calls on the People’s Republic of China to “abide by its obligations under international law and cease its provocative behavior.”
“We will continue to work with allies and partners, as well as regional institutions like ASEAN, to protect and preserve the rules-based order.” — Kristine Joy Patag with Kaycee Valmonte
The United States reaffirms its commitment to the Philippines on the sixth anniversary of the Hague tribunal ruling.
— Kaycee Valmonte (@kayceevalmonte) July 12, 2022
The US also calls on China to abide by obligations under international law and "cease its provocative behavior" @PhilstarNews pic.twitter.com/mPLRwBGiQU
Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo says July 12, 2016 is remembered as “the day the that affirmed to the community of nations that the rule of law prevails, and that stability, peace and progress can only be attained on a rules-based legal order on the oceans, as it should be everywhere else.”
He adds the award “not only sets reason and right in the South China Sea, but is an inspiration for how matters should be considered—through reason and right—by states facing similarly challenging circumstances.”
Manalo stresses that the findings are conclusive and indisputable, and the award is final.
“We firmly reject attempts to undermine it; nay, even erase it from law, history, and our collective memories. At the same time we welcome the support of a growing list of countries for the Award.” — Kristine Joy Patag
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