Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio has accepted Senator Rodante Marcoleta’s suggestion for a public discussion on the legal basis of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and the inclusion of features in the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) within the Philippines’ maritime entitlements.
The proposed discussion arose after Marcoleta publicly questioned whether areas of the KIG fall within the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Philippines — a claim that drew attention because it challenges well-established interpretations of international maritime law.
Marcoleta’s invitation was framed as a “friendly debate” and also extended to Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela and maritime law expert Professor Jay Batongbacal of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea.
Carpio has consistently underscored that the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippine Sea are grounded in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and affirmed by the 2016 arbitral ruling that nullified China’s nine-dash line claims.
Observers note that a public forum on these issues could help clarify misconceptions about maritime entitlements under international law and reinforce the importance of defending the nation’s sovereignty in disputed waters.
Source:
https://www.bomboradyo.com/hirit-na-debate-ni-sen-marcoleta-tinanggap-ni-retired-justice-carpio