Carpio hits ex-president Duterte’s handling of WPS issue
Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio (INQUIRER PHOTO / EDWIN BACASMAS)
MANILA, Philippines – Among the former presidents of the country, Rodrigo Duterte has undermined the country’s position against China, retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said.
During the Kapihan sa Manila Hotel, Carpio was asked who among recent chief executives did the most in promoting the country’s position in the South China Sea and who did the most to undermine the country’s stand.
Carpio was chief presidential legal counsel under President Fidel Ramos, when the Philippines grounded LS-57 BRP Sierra Madre on Ayungin Shoal.
He said then president Benigno Aquino III would be remembered for initiating the legal step against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, resulting in the rejection of China’s nine-dash line claim.
Carpio, however, criticized Duterte for doing “the most to ignore the award.”
“The President who did the most was the President who filed that case—that’s PNoy. We thank him for that. And the guy who did the most to ignore the award is, of course, Duterte. He said it was just a piece of paper,” Carpio said.
“He parroted the Chinese Communist line that it is just a piece of paper to be thrown to the waste basket. He actually parroted it,” Carpio said.
China has become more aggressive that aside from building structures in the disputed maritime areas, it kept on harassing, blocking, and recently hit a Philippine vessel during one of its resupply missions at Ayungin Shoal.
China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea conflict with those of the Philippines,Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
Last year, while Duterte maintained that China is a friend, he said he does not agree with its 10-dash line.
“China is a friend, personally I am [friends] with President Xi Jinping, but I would state now that I do not agree with the 10-dash line,” Duterte said.
“As far as I’m concerned, our territory is non-negotiable … friendship is one, alliance is another one, but the territory itself must be ours,” the former chief executive said.
