Ret. SC Associate Justice Antonio Carpio
RETIRED Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio sees an imminent downfall of China the moment Filipino fishermen get arrested inside the 200-nautical mile Philippine exclusive economic zone.
According to Carpio, China will surely lose legal battles if arrests are made in the West Philippine Sea.
The retired magistrate cited an article published by the South China Morning Post claiming Beijing gave the Chinese Coast Guard powers to detain – up to 60 days without trial – foreigners “suspected of illegally crossing borders.”
Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela previously described China’s latest move as an “empty threat” aimed at preventing another civilian mission at the disputed maritime territory.
Citing the 2016 arbitration ruling which invalidated China’s nine-dash line claiming parts of the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea, Carpio finds it rather wise to file a case before the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) should an arrest take place.
“Yung pag-aresto at kinulong yung fishermen, pwede tayong mag file ng case. Punta ulit tayo sa UNCLOS tribunal dahil klaro naman na labag sa UNCLOS. Bawal na mag aresto sila ng fishermen sa ating exclusive economic zone,” Carpio was quoted as saying in a radio interview.
Any court case filed against China for violating the 2016 arbitration ruling, he added, would be a sure win for the Philippines despite Beijing’s insistence that it does not recognize the ruling.
Carpio however admitted that China would show up for the trial. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
