Justice Antonio Carpio warns that Philippine hesitation to develop Reed Bank gas reserves has weakened the country’s energy security and strategic position in the West Philippine Sea.
Justice Antonio Carpio warns that China is steadily expanding control in the South China Sea through long-term “salami slicing” tactics.
Retired Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban hails Justice Antonio Carpio as a relentless defender of Philippine sovereignty, highlighting his legal advocacy in the West Philippine Sea.
Justice Antonio Carpio explains the legal, economic, and strategic stakes in the West Philippine Sea, urging stronger political will and continued arbitration to protect Philippine sovereignty.
Justice Antonio T. Carpio warns that China’s recent embassy rhetoric and diplomatic posturing may signal renewed assertive moves on Scarborough Shoal, underscoring threats to Philippine sovereignty, international law, and regional stability.
Over 140 lectures and speeches by Justice Carpio on the South China Sea and the arbitral ruling, delivered from 2011 to 2017.
Justice Carpio’s DLSU commencement speech corrects a long-standing territorial misconception and urges Filipinos to understand the full legal basis of PH maritime claims.
Justice Carpio reaffirms Panacot—Bajo de Masinloc—Scarborough Shoal as Philippine territory through centuries of maps, records, and state acts.
Defending the Rule of Law to Preserve World Peace” — a public lecture by Antonio T. Carpio delivered on 27 March 2023 at the Pontifical Gregorian University (Rome), arguing that global stability depends on upholding the rule of law in oceans, rejecting expansive historic maritime claims like the “nine-dash line,” and defending the high seas…
Justice Carpio explains why China’s conduct in the South China Sea amounts to hegemonic bullying and urges ASEAN states to pursue arbitration under international law to protect their maritime rights.
Justice Carpio explains why the Philippines’ territorial claim in the South China Sea is confined to the Kalayaan Island Group and criticizes legislative proposals that seek to expand claims to the wider Spratly Islands in ways inconsistent with international law.
Justice Carpio explains the importance of the 1734 Murillo Velarde map as the first scientific map of the Philippine archipelago that illustrates features like Scarborough Shoal and Spratlys as part of the nation and supports sovereign maritime claims.
Justice Carpio explains the legal role of maps in territorial disputes: how maps become binding through treaties or state acceptance, how historical cartography can constitute admissions against interest, and why China’s own published maps weaken its South China Sea claims.
Justice Carpio explains why China’s new coast guard law, sometimes likened to a “Monroe Doctrine,” is fundamentally different: it seeks to enforce expansive maritime claims beyond sovereign zones recognized under UNCLOS and threatens the rights and security of ASEAN coastal states.
Justice Carpio explains how China’s new coast guard law represents a “deadly legal virus” that empowers the use of force to enforce expansive South China Sea claims contrary to international law and underscores the need for legal countermeasures by ASEAN states.
A documentary episode exploring how everyday Filipinos engage with and respond to the West Philippine Sea dispute, highlighting public advocacy and the legal, diplomatic, and national-sovereignty issues at stake.
A documentary episode exploring how everyday Filipinos engage with and respond to the West Philippine Sea dispute, highlighting public advocacy and the legal, diplomatic, and national-sovereignty issues at stake.
A documentary episode exploring how everyday Filipinos engage with and respond to the West Philippine Sea dispute, highlighting public advocacy and the legal, diplomatic, and national-sovereignty issues at stake.
A documentary episode exploring how everyday Filipinos engage with and respond to the West Philippine Sea dispute, highlighting public advocacy and the legal, diplomatic, and national-sovereignty issues at stake.
A documentary episode exploring how everyday Filipinos engage with and respond to the West Philippine Sea dispute, highlighting public advocacy and the legal, diplomatic, and national-sovereignty issues at stake.
A documentary episode exploring how everyday Filipinos engage with and respond to the West Philippine Sea dispute, highlighting public advocacy and the legal, diplomatic, and national-sovereignty issues at stake.
Justice Carpio explains the UNCLOS opt-out provision allowing states to limit compulsory dispute settlement procedures in certain cases, and why this does not preclude legal accountability under the Convention’s dispute resolution framework.
Law and Justice in the West Philippine Sea” — a 10 December 2020 lecture by Antonio T. Carpio upon reception of an honorary degree, urging the defense and preservation of the Philippines’ sovereign maritime rights under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and calling for lawful enforcement of the 2016 arbitral…
Justice Carpio explains how China’s historical actions and nine‑dash line claim demonstrate hegemonic expansion in the South China Sea, marked by forceful seizures and militarization of disputed features to assert control contrary to international law.
Justice Carpio debunks additional historical and legal arguments China has used to support its South China Sea claims—showing that declarations like Cairo and Potsdam, and the San Francisco Peace Treaty, do not award the Spratlys or Paracels to China, and that analogies to the Monroe Doctrine are specious.
Justice Carpio explains why the ASEAN–China Code of Conduct must not legitimize past unlawful acts, exclude the 2016 Arbitral Award, or restrict dispute settlement under UNCLOS, and why it should protect EEZ rights and uphold international law in the South China Sea.
Statement by Antonio T. Carpio (Ret.) on Rodrigo Duterte’s 23 September 2020 speech before the United Nations General Assembly, affirming the Philippines’ 2016 arbitral-award victory under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and calling for full implementation of the ruling to protect the country’s sovereign maritime rights in the West Philippine…
Justice Carpio analyzes the 2020 diplomatic “dueling Notes Verbales” between the Philippines and Malaysia over extended continental shelf claims, showing why competing assertions—especially involving Sabah and South China Sea rights—fail to advance Philippine maritime interests and distract from common ASEAN positions.
Justice Carpio refutes China’s claim of a peaceful history by detailing historical invasions of neighboring states and modern seizures of maritime features, and explains how China’s nine‑dash line aims to control nearly the entire South China Sea—at the expense of international law and ASEAN rights.
Justice Antonio T. Carpio delivers a comprehensive lecture on defending Philippine sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, explaining UNCLOS, the 2016 arbitral ruling, and why China’s nine-dashed line has no basis in international law.
Justice Carpio explains why naming features in the South China Sea does not confer sovereignty or maritime rights, outlines how sovereign states can lawfully name features, and notes the historical precedence of Philippine names like those on the 1734 Velarde‑Bagay‑Suarez map.
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.
A comprehensive lecture by Justice Antonio T. Carpio detailing the Philippines’ legal, historical, strategic, and economic basis for defending its sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, presented across multiple scholarly events. Lecture delivered in nine (9) venues.
Justice Carpio explains why Subi Reef—though a low‑tide feature—is within the Philippines’ territorial sea because it lies within 12 nautical miles of Pag‑asa Island under the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award.
Defending Our Sovereign Rights in the Grand Manner” — a 07 November 2019 address by Justice Antonio T. Carpio before the alumni of UP College of Law, urging Filipino lawyers to uphold the rule of law in defending the nation’s sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea, and calling on government and citizens to assert…
Follow the Rule of Law But Aspire for the Rule of Justice” — a 14 July 2019 address by Justice Antonio T. Carpio urging that adherence to international law, particularly under UNCLOS and treaty obligations, must be paired with justice and equitable treatment of nations in maritime and territorial disputes.
Statement (14 June 2019) by Justice Antonio T. Carpio on the ramming of F/B Gimver 1 — condemning the likely attack by a Chinese maritime-militia vessel inside the Philippine EEZ at Recto/Reed Bank, highlighting the violation of the rights granted under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and calling for accountability…
“Protecting the West Philippine Sea: A Historic Task for Filipino Lawyers” — a 09 June 2019 address by Justice Antonio T. Carpio calling on the Philippine legal profession to uphold national sovereignty, maritime rights under UNCLOS, and the rule of law amid escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
A Call for a South China Sea Truth Movement” — a 07 June 2019 address by Justice Antonio T. Carpio urging a nationwide movement to expose historical and legal truths about the South China Sea dispute, uphold the Philippines’ maritime rights under UNCLOS, and resist disinformation campaigns.
Justice Antonio T. Carpio’s 22 June 2018 address to UP–NCPAG graduates warns against divisive proposals—such as “First Nation” designations, expansive autonomous movements, and abandoning the 2016 arbitral award—and calls on Filipinos to uphold national unity, sovereignty, and maritime rights.
Statement (15 January 2018) by Justice Antonio T. Carpio on China’s request to survey Benham Rise — arguing that such surveys within Philippine waters must respect the country’s sovereign rights under United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and that foreign survey requests should require Philippine consent.
“Never Give Up Honor, Sovereignty and Sovereign Rights” — a 22 August 2017 address by Justice Antonio T. Carpio invoking the duty of Filipinos to defend national honor and uphold maritime sovereignty and sovereign rights under international law, especially in the face of external maritime claims.
“The Framework Code of Conduct — One Year After the Arbitration” (13 July 2017) reflects on the state of regional diplomacy and the need for a binding Code of Conduct in the South China Sea to uphold the 2016 arbitral ruling, protect Philippine sovereign maritime rights, and ensure peace and stability under international law.
Statement (20 May 2017) by Justice Antonio T. Carpio condemning any threat by China to go to war with the Philippines over the South China Sea — calling instead for resolution through international law and the 2016 Arbitral Award under UNCLOS to uphold Philippine sovereignty and maritime rights.
Explore the geopolitical, economic, and legal implications of China’s activities in the South China Sea and Benham Rise. This comprehensive analysis delves into historical expansion, the nine-dash line claim, military buildup, and key UNCLOS rulings, highlighting the significance of these regions for global trade, natural resources, and international law.
Remarks by Justice Antonio T. Carpio (04 May 2017) on the launching of his e‑book — a comprehensive collation of lectures and speeches explaining the West Philippine Sea dispute, aimed at educating Filipinos about maritime sovereignty, historic rights, and international law.
Justice Antonio T. Carpio’s lecture at the Philippine Press Institute analyzes the South China Sea dispute, covering historical claims, UNCLOS-based legal entitlements, geopolitical tensions, economic resources, environmental concerns, and diplomatic efforts to uphold Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea. Lecture delivered in thirty-one (31) venues.
“Personal Statement on Final Arbitral Award” — 12 July 2016 statement by Antonio T. Carpio affirming that the 2016 tribunal ruling upholds the rule of law, the primacy of United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the Philippines’ constitutional right to its marine wealth and exclusive economic zone.
Explore Justice Antonio T. Carpio’s 2015 presentation on historical facts and lies in the West Philippine Sea, exposing China’s 9-dashed line claim and highlighting UNCLOS-based maritime rights and Philippine historical presence. Lecture delivered in four (4) venues.
Remarks (11 September 2014) by Antonio T. Carpio at the launching of the “Exhibit of Ancient Maps of Scarborough Shoal” — a cartographic exhibition presenting historical maps that show Scarborough Shoal as part of the Philippines, challenging China’s alleged historic claims under the “nine‑dash line.”
Global Theft of the Global Commons — Justice Antonio T. Carpio’s 2014 lecture analyzing China’s 9‑dashed‑line claims in the South China Sea as a “grand theft” of humanity’s shared maritime heritage. A legal critique based on UNCLOS, sovereignty, and the concept of the high seas as global commons.
Justice Antonio T. Carpio delivers a detailed address on the Philippines’ constitutional duty to protect its marine wealth in the West Philippine Sea, explaining UNCLOS, the invalidity of China’s 9-dashed line claim, and why joint development under China’s terms would violate Philippine sovereignty.
An analysis of the West Philippine Sea dispute, tracing historical maritime claims, China’s 9-dashed line, and the Philippines’ legal rights under UNCLOS. Justice Carpio explains why arbitration and the Rule of Law are essential for sovereignty and regional stability.