Brothers and sisters, this month marks the fourth anniversary of the Philippines’s winning argument in the Permanent Court of Arbitration against China regarding our territories in the West Philippine Sea. It was clear in provisions of the United Nations Conventions on the Law of the Sea that coastal countries (like the Philippines) have the right to recognize their surrounding ocean covering 200 nautical miles as their exclusive economic zone. This means that the Philippines has the sovereign right to “explore, benefit from, preserve, and manage” the natural resources found hereof. This jurisdiction is strengthened by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Netherlands on June 12, 2016.
Recently, the United States said that China’s “nine-dash line” had no legal basis. The country repeated the international tribunal’s decision on China’s illegal ownership of several parts of the West Philippine Sea like the Mischief Reef and the Second Thomas Shoal. However, China got stubborn, and said that it neither accepts nor acknowledges the Permanent Court of Arbitration’s decision.
Although other countries, such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, and Taiwan, claim some parts of the South China Sea, China is the only country that aggressively seizes the mentioned body of water. China continues to create infrastructure that destroys the marine ecosystem of the West Philippine Sea. According to one maritime analyst, a large portion of coral reefs in the West Philippine Sea has been destroyed by Chinese fishermen’s extensive acquisition of giant clams, and China’s reclamations.
China has also in numerous instances violated our fishermen’s rights to benefit from the natural resources in the West Philippine Sea. Our fishermen are prevented by the Chinese coast guard to fish in the Panatag Shoal. There are other incidents, like the sinking by the Chinese of the fishing vessel F/B Gem-Ver in Recto Bank. But what is more alarming is the Duterte administration’s act of repeatedly ignoring China’s abuse of our fishermen. We remember that in March of the previous year, when asked about the Chinese Coast Guard restricting the Filipino fishermen, a former speaker of the President admitted that “China has control as of now.”
It is our hope for peace to be maintained, and we are against the use of violence in order to solve an issue. But this does not mean that we should just shrug our shoulder after what China has unjustly done to us. Like what is emphasized in the Catholic social teaching, peace does not happen without justice, without equality, and without accountability of those who lust for power. It is also said that “peace is the fruit of justice,” and justice can only be attained if we recognize the rights of everyone, and the environment.
Our government has been able to stand up using the law—and not cruelty—in the four years that have passed, and we came out victorious. It is saddening that it looks like this was all for naught.
Brothers and sisters, let the people in government be reminded by the words from the book of Isaiah 1:17, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”
It is reasonable to assert our sovereign rights to our natural resources in areas that are known to be part of our territory. It is reasonable to hold accountable those who abuse the weakness of a country like the Philippines. Helping the oppressed and standing with the fishermen that were denied livelihoods, the government should go after those who wreck the natural resources of our country. It is not enough for the Philippines to celebrate its victory in the 2016 arbitral ruling. We must uphold our rights over our territories in the West Philippine Sea. But the “courage” of the administration is seen nowhere when our leader merely dismissed the arbitral ruling saying the Philippines has exclusive sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea.
Make it a habit to listen to Radio Veritas 846 Ang Radyo ng Simbahan in the AM band, or through
live streaming at www.veritas846.ph, and follow its Twitter and Instagram accounts @veritasph, and YouTube at veritas846.ph. For your comments, e-mail veritas846pr@gmail.com.