MANILA, Philippines – Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo on Friday, July 12, emphasized the country’s “commitment to peace” despite superpower China’s “unlawful actions which have caused serious incidents in the South China Sea” as the Philippines commemorates the 8th anniversary of the landmark 2016 Arbitral Award.

“The Award is a testament to our unwavering commitment to the rule of law and the peaceful settlement of disputes,” said Manalo in a statement.

The 2016 Arbitral Award, handed down in the early weeks of the previous Duterte administration, rejected China’s wide 9-dash-line claim over most of the South China Sea, scored China for its harassment of Philippine vessels, and said Beijing had ruined the marine environment in those waters because of its island-building activities, among others. The ruling forms part of the Philippines’ basis in asserting its rights in waters it calls the West Philippine Sea.

Beijing, which did not participate in the arbitration, insists it is invalid. It continues to harass Philippine missions to features in the West Philippine Sea.

“Over the years, the Philippines has continued to demonstrate this commitment to peace even in the face of the unlawful actions which have caused serious incidents in the South China Sea, without ever diminishing our resolve to protect and promote our people’s interest and the full and responsible enjoyment of our legally settled maritime entitlements and its accompanying rights and jurisdictions,” said Manalo.

China’s escalation

Despite the victory in 2016, the previous administration did little to nothing to make the most of it. Duterte, then eager to “pivot” the Philippines to China, downplayed the ruling. His administration’s reaction to the win on July 12, 2016 was not elation, but restraint.

Manila has since taken a 180-degree policy shift since President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. took power. Under the current administration, the Philippines has asserted its sovereign rights and sovereignty claims in the South China Sea. The new-found vigor has also meant that tense and aggressive confrontations with China in those waters have become more frequent.

Just a month prior or on June 17, the most serious encounter yet between Philippine and Chinese forces in the West Philippine Sea took place right next to the BRP Sierra Madre, a warship that’s been grounded in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea since 1999. The rusting vessel, brought to the shoal in response to China’s military-base building in nearby Mischief Reef, has become a flashpoint for tensions between the two countries.

China’s actions on June 17 were unprecedented, however – its China Coast Guard personnel brandished knives and axes on Filipino soldiers already moored beside the ship. They later towed the rigid hull inflatable boats of the Philippine Navy, damaged these vessels and the equipment on board. China also seized seven of the Philippine Navy’s rifles during the incident.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines wants China to pay over P60 million as restitution, as well as to shoulder the rehabilitation of a soldier who lost his thumb because of China’s high-speed ramming.

International support

China has continued to be aggressive despite the expressions of support the Philippines has received from its treaty-ally the United States, as well as like-minded countries in the region and beyond.

Manalo highlighted international support in his statement, saying the Philippines’ “determination has only been strengthened by the broadening affirmation of the legal value of the Award as a positive and legitimate source of international law.”

“We are encouraged by the expressions of support made by other States that confirm the final and binding status of the Award, including the G7’s consistent reaffirmation that it is a significant milestone and a useful basis for the peaceful management and resolution of differences at sea. Further, the Philippines welcomed the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) Advisory Opinion on Climate Change, which cited the Award as authoritative in key parts of the ruling, with multiple States or groups of States referencing the Award as legal authority in their respective oral and written statements, underscoring its unassailable status as part of the corpus of international law,” he said.

“The Award is a reaffirmation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and protects our rights as a coastal state and a seafaring people. Every effort to secure our legitimate interests in our maritime domain is a testament to the determination and courage of the Filipino people, while showcasing the Philippines’ vision of peace and stability that inspires and resonates beyond the waters of the South China Sea,” added the foreign affairs chief.

Marcos said – in his first State of the Nation Address – that he would not give up even an inch of the Philippines’ territory. He has also vowed that the Philippines would not yield, even as his government has called for deescalation of tensions.

“With our national interest and sovereign rights in mind, the Philippines will move forward to chart a course anchored on peace, security and prosperity in our region,” vowed Manalo in his statement. – Rappler.com