Maniolas

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, which the Philippines has asked to resolve a territorial dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea, may release its final ruling on the case next year, the chief state lawyer disclosed on Thursday. “The decision on the case may be rendered in the next two years, probably, by the end of 2015,” Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza said at a roundtable discussion on the arbitration over the West Philippine Sea at the University of the Philippines College of Law. “The Philippines is very confident that we can convince the court. We feel that we have strong and just legal claims,” he said. However the ITLOS rules on the case, its decision is final and can no longer be appealed.  The Philippines early last year sought arbitration under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on its assertion that China’s nine-dash line claim was illegal. The nine-dash line covers about 80 percent of the South China Sea, including sections that Manila calls the West Philippine Sea. The Philippines claims that Panatag Shoal, also referred to as Scarborough Shoal, is within its exclusive economic zone, which extends 200 nautical miles from its coast. Jardeleza pointed out that Panatag Shoal, also called Bajo de Masincloc, is less than 200 nautical miles from Zambales, while China’s Hainan Island is about 600 nautical miles away.  The South China Sea is believed to have resource-rich waters and is an important maritime route. Apart from Read More …

After skipping a Senate inquiry on rice smuggling last Monday, businessman Davidson Bangayan on Wednesday dropped by the Department of Justice to answer charges of perjury that the Senate had filed against him. “Nag-submit lang siya ng counter-affidavit and he subscribed it before the investigating prosecutors,” said Prosecutor General Claro Arellano, head of the DOJ’s National Prosecution Service. Bangayan, who is said to be big-time rice smuggler David Tan, swore to the truthfulness of his counter-affidavit in front of prosecuting attorney Loverhette Villordon. Arellano also said Bangayan is not expected to show up on Thursday’s preliminary investigation on the perjury complaint at 10 a.m. Villordon refused to provide media copies of the counter-affidavit yet, but said copies could be given right after Thursday’s preliminary probe. Bangayan was accompanied at the DOJ by his legal counsel Alejandro Ovenas. Bangayan skipped last Monday’s Senate inquiry on rice smuggling after being hospitalized due to back pain. According to his lawyer, Bangayan’s blood pressure shot up and he had difficulty walking over the weekend, causing the controversial trader to be brought to the Laoag General Hospital. On Feb. 7, the Senate filed its 11-page complaint against Bangayan for supposedly lying about his identity during a congressional probe on rice smuggling. Bangayan was accused of violating of Article 183 of the Revised Penal Code, which refers to “False testimony in other cases and perjury in solemn affirmation.” Senate agriculture committee chairwoman Cynthia Villar said her panel decided to cite Bangayan for contempt after he repeatedly Read More …

MANILA, Philippines—China’s harassment of Filipino fishermen last month does not warrant a military response but the Armed Forces of the Philippines would not hesitate to take action to protect Filipinos “when the time comes,” a military spokesman said Tuesday. “What happened with the use by the Chinese coast guard of water cannon (on) our fishermen is really alarming. However, the incident done by the Chinese coast guard to our fishermen, we believe, does not merit a military response. We have to always [consider] that we do not escalate the already volatile situation in the area,” AFP public affairs chief Lt. Col. Ramon Zagala told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo. Zagala said the military follows the government’s thrust of wanting to resolve the territorial dispute with China through diplomatic means. Zagala said that “we want to protect our people, and we will do so, but the act must be carefully thought out because the area really is volatile,” he said. Pressed about which government agency would ensure the fishermen’s safety at sea in light of Chinese presence in areas within the Philippines’ exlusive economic zone, Zagala said the military wants to “de-escalate in the situation” in the disputed area. “Definitely, our AFP’s (mandate) is to protect our people and sovereignty. We are the military force, our Philippine Navy is a military force. We have other agencies in government who are law enforcement in nature such as the Coast Guard and the BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources). We should look at Read More …