Filipinos welcome tribunal ruling on South China Sea row
Date
7/13/2016 3:40:48 AM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Philippines embassy, Doha, Qatar, Photo credit: Leo-Bautista, dohape.dfa gov.ph
By Raynald C Rivera
DOHA: Filipinos in Qatar welcomed yesterday";s landmark ruling of a tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague invalidating China";s claim over most of South China Sea.
After a three-year process, the tribunal concluded in a 501-page document that 'as between the Philippines and China, there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources, in excess of the rights provided for by the Convention, within the sea areas falling within the ‘9-dash line.";”
'I consider the ruling of UN arbitration tribunal on West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) dispute in favour of the Philippines as a historic milestone which confirms our country";s sovereign right over the disputed seas and riches beneath. My only doubt is whether China will submit to that ruling and, if not, that will be another big challenge for our government officials to face,” said Ressie S Fos, Vice Chairman of United Filipino Organisations in Qatar (UFOQ).
Manny Flores, a Doha-based GMA Network correspondent, shared the same view saying, 'The decision of arbitral tribunal favouring the Philippines only shows that we have a legitimate claim on our Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in which China is one of the signatories.”
Flores considers the decision a 'big win” for the Philippines and expressed hope that China would respect it so that Filipino fishermen in the province of Zambales can now go back to fishing without being driven away by Chinese coastguards.
Leo S Dote, president of the Philippine Association of Safety Engineers Qatar (PHASE), is also hopeful the historic ruling would bear good fruits.
'Let us not forget to wish and hope that China would cooperate on this issue. Nevertheless, let us always be proud of being a Filipino and being right is an edge against might,” said Dote, attributing the success to the collective efforts of Filipino legal experts.
'While we rejoice at this legal victory, we are grateful for the decision made by the international tribunal and we should also be thankful for the persistence of the group of Filipino legal experts in this battle,” he said. Renan Princena , a board member of Alliance of Filipino Journalists in Qatar (AFJQ), says he looks forward to the positive outcomes of the decision not only for the Philippines but also for its neighbours.
'I";m very happy that the tribunal";s ruling favoured us. It";s a victory for the Philippines and the Filipino people. I";m excited and let";s wait for the action of our government and the ripple effect it will create in the international community,” said
Princena.
The Peninsula