Carpio says WPS dispute ‘intergenerational”: ‘Prepare for a very long struggle”

The West Philippine Sea dispute is an issue that Filipinos will have to deal with for generations, retired Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio said. 

As part of the panel on BBC’s World Questions program, Carpio was asked if China could become  less aggressive towards the Philippine troops after President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said he is firm on defending Philippine territory. 

“I call this dispute an intergenerational struggle for Filipinos, so I do not see this dispute being resolved anytime soon,” he said. 

“China has doubled down over the years, it’s very clear now to everyone. So we have to prepare for a very long struggl., China has clarified the these waters are its national territory, which includes the high seas of South China Sea. Of course, the high seas belonged to mankind, nobody owns that, but China is claiming all that as its national territory,” Carpio added.  

He said that although several countries have expressed support for the Philippines in this matter, China has the world’s largest navy and is also one of the world’s major nuclear powers.

Still, even with the long struggle, Carpio said the Philippines should not let China take over the WPS. 

Progressive group Akbayan Citizens Action Party president Rafaela David, meanwhile, said that Filipino fishermen are the ones most affected in this dispute. 

“Filipinos are not going to be bullied and we are part of the fight. We need moving forward, a whole of nation approach. We must show China that we are standing for our sovereignty,” she said.

Last week, six Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) and maritime militia vessels harassed and blocked the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel BRP Malabrigo while it was en route to the Bajo de Masinloc, or Scarborough Shoal.

The Philippine vessel attempted to reach the disputed reef twice, but its efforts were prevented by the dangerous maneuvers of the CGC and Chinese maritime militia vessels.

It is the latest in a long series of harassment of Filipino ships by Chinese vessels. In 2016, an international court ruled that China’s massive claims over nearly the entirety of the South China Sea are invalid. China has ignored the ruling. — BM, GMA Integrated News