Justice Carpio exposes Marcos Sr.’s calculated move to fortify claim in Kalayaan Island Group
Justice Carpio explains why raising the Philippine maritime case at the UN General Assembly matters: it provides an opportunity to rally global support for the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling, reinforce the rule of law, and strengthen diplomatic backing for the Philippines’ sovereign rights under UNCLOS.
Justice Carpio explains how the nine‑dash line originated with a 1947 Kuomintang map claiming islands and their territorial seas, how Communist China later adopted and expanded it into a sweeping historical claim, and why this expansion is inconsistent with UNCLOS and was invalidated by the 2016 Arbitral Award.
Justice Carpio compares China’s expansive South China Sea claims to a maritime Lebensraum, explaining how Beijing’s attempt to control vast waters and resources violates UNCLOS and was rejected by the 2016 Arbitral Award, and calls for ASEAN cooperation to uphold lawful sovereign rights.