West Philippine Sea belongs to Filipinos, not to Duterte, China - Morales

On the third year anniversary of the arbitral ruling in Hague, former Ombudsman Conchita Morales has fired a salvo of tirades against President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

Being one of the speakers in the West Philippine Sea forum, she declares that ”The West Philippine Sea belongs to Filipinos, not to Duterte, not to China.”

She demanded the accountability on the massive destruction of China has caused in the delicate marine resources found in the disputed areas in South China Sea.

former Ombudsman  Conchita Morales-Carpio ( photo credit to owner)

Morales points out the 2016 arbitral victory of the Philippines as against China’s expansive claim as per their 9 dash line claim in the West Philippine Sea, a continuing violation of China  in its obligation to protect the marine environment through “tolerance of Chinese illegal fishing, massive land reclamation and the construction of artificial islands.”

After three year, China has openly rejected such ruling against them, and the Duterte administration chose to shelve momentarily the award in favor of economic engagements with Asia’s largest economy in bilateral talks.

This, according to Morales, has prompted Filipinos to “find creative and viable ways to enforce the award because our [leaders] refuse to do so.”

Morales with former foreign affairs secretary Albert Del Rosario , a few months back filed a complaint against China’s president Xin Jinping befor the International Criminal Court (ICC)  claiming that China’s expansive island-building and occupation of the WPS.

“In implementing China’s systematic plan to take over the South China Sea, President Xi Jinping and other Chinese officials have committed crimes within the jurisdiction of the Court which involve massive, near-permanent and devastating environmental damage across nations,’’ the two former officials said in a communication filed with the ICC before the Philippines withdrew from the Rome Statute on March 17.

Morales said that their complaint is a “means of enforcing the award because it seeks to impose individual responsibility to China’s acts already found unlawful by the award.”

“The inhumane acts of Chinese officials in the South China Sea constitute crimes against the ICC’s jurisdiction,” she stressed. 

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Report from PDI