Lorenzana apologizes for ‘empty victory’ remark, but. . .

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana apologized on Friday for describing as an “empty victory” the historic 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that favored the Philippines’ claims in the West Philippine Sea.

But Lorenzana insisted that the ruling merely gave the country “false hopes” because it could not be enforced.

In a statement, he apologized for “ruffling the feelings” of former Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario and acting Supreme Court Chief Justice Antonio Carpio, who had led the country’s legal campaign in the UN-backed court that invalidated China’s expansive claims over the region.

“We Filipinos owe them a lot,” the defense chief said, calling the two officials “true patriots” and “great gentlemen.”

Lorenzana, however, said that he made the “empty victory” remark to refer to the outcome of the ruling. “[T]he victory being claimed is premature and incomplete since the ruling has no enforcement mechanism.” —JAYMEE T. GAMIL