It would be a betrayal of public trust should the Duterte administration accept China’s rejection of the landmark ruling that invalidated its sweeping claim over the South China Sea, parts of which is the West Philippine Sea, former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario said Saturday.
China claims most of the contested sea, including waters close to Philippine shores, and has rejected a UN-backed international tribunal ruling that said its assertion to the Sea is without legal basis. Beijing told visiting President Rodrigo Duterte that its position on the South China Sea was not up for negotiation, Malacañang said, adding there is no need for the Philippine leader to bring up Manila’s legal victory again in future meetings with his Chinese counterpart because “they will continue with the peaceful dialogue.”
