In a recent special report, 24 Oras posed questions to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque and retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio about resolving the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea.
Justice Carpio, an expert on international law and maritime disputes, emphasized the need for the Philippines to assert its sovereign rights over the WPS. He criticized the military-only approach proposed by some officials, stating that it would not address the core issue of China’s encroachment.
Carpio highlighted the importance of relying on international law and diplomatic efforts to resolve the dispute. He pointed out that the Philippines has a strong case based on the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2013 Arbitral Award, which invalidated China’s claims in the WPS.
Roque and Carpio’s differing views on the solution to the WPS dispute reflect the ongoing debate within the Philippine government about how to address this critical issue.