The best weapon the Philippines can use against China in the information war over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) is to stay aligned, former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio asserted.
Speaking at a West Philippine Sea Forum held at the VJR Hall of the Provincial Capitol on Wednesday, Carpio said the WPS dispute with China has long been an “inter-generational struggle” where Filipinos must think ahead.
“We have the arbitral award; our generation is built on this. What I’m saying is that if China thinks a hundred years, we should think 200 years. If China thinks 1,000 years, we should think 2,000 years,” Carpio said during the forum.
He emphasized that the dispute cannot be resolved overnight and that rushing it would not favor the Philippines. He noted the importance of understanding the basis of the country’s claims and ensuring unity among Filipinos on the issue, as some Filipinos are voicing contrary opinions.
“We have to be on the same page; we cannot beat China if we have different narratives. China has only one narrative. From grade school to college, all their students are taught only one thing – that China owns the SCS [South China Sea] since 2,000 years ago,” Carpio explained.
“Tayo, kahit na yung mga high officials natin iba ang sinasabi. We must first put our house in order,” he lamented.
Carpio also expressed elation over President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s statement during a dialogue at Shangri-La, where the President mentioned that the Philippines’ territory is defined by two treaties: the Treaty of Paris in 1898, clarified by the Treaty of Washington in 1900.
“The first time ever na sinabi ‘yan. So everybody must toe the line. That’s already a policy, but still, I don’t see it being carried out. In our DepEd [Department of Education], we have to include that in our curriculum. And we have to be vocal in explaining this to the world,” he said.
“Kasi mukhang hindi pa buo, we’re not using our full strength. Even the DFA [Department of Foreign Affairs] is not saying this often. After what President Marcos said, wala na, hindi na nila finollow up. Mukhang nahihiya tayo to bring this up,” he added, reiterating that Filipinos must erase any cloud of doubt regarding the country’s claims. Without unity among Filipinos, Carpio warned, the Philippines could lose its claim.
The former Supreme Court Justice also pointed out that with the enactment of the Maritime Zones Act, the Philippines has further bolstered the UN International Tribunal’s July 12, 2016 decision affirming its rightful claims in the WPS.
He highlighted that one provision of the law incorporated the tribunal award, making it more than “just a piece of paper” and usable against China’s continued bullying and harassment in the WPS.
He also noted that every time the United States and its allies sail in the WPS, they are upholding the arbitral award of July 12, 2016, which designates the area as an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), freedom of navigation and overflight is allowed, including naval and aerial drills.
The award also refuted China’s claims that everything within the 10-dash line, which encompasses nearly the entire South China Sea, is its national territory. However, Carpio said China cannot enforce this claim due to the presence of the U.S. and its allies, who regularly sail in the area.
“So if today, the U.S. and its allies withdraw from the SCS, tomorrow, the 10-dash line becomes China’s national boundary because we do not have the military might to stop China from enforcing the 10-dash line,” he said.
“And that’s why I say let’s invite all the navies in the world to sail in the WPS,” he added.
Carpio also stressed the need for the Philippines to further strengthen its defense capabilities.
“We have to strengthen our navy, our air force, and acquire asymmetric defense systems like the BrahMos and Typhon missiles because we cannot match China warship for warship due to a lack of resources,” he emphasized. “But we have to do this gradually because it requires funds.”
“In the meantime, while we are asking our allies to sail in the WPS, we must strengthen our defenses and ensure everybody is on the same page,” he concluded.
