No, Sir, it’s not a mere piece of paper

It is our national dignity. We have always supported the President and prayed for his success in all his advocacies, ranging from his war against drugs, crimes, corruption, and his drive for federalism. Most of such initiatives seem to be failing and time is fast running out on him. Nonetheless we still hope against hope that he can leave a legacy to the nation and to our people. But on his pro-China, pro-Russia foreign policy, and his stand on the furor in the West Philippine Sea, we take exception and we beg to express our contrary view.

We do not agree that the victory in The Hague was a mere scrap of paper. It was a strategic victory, that we should treasure and invoke to stress that right is might, and not might is right as China is doing. For those who are talking blindly for or against the government position on this very important national issue, we invite them to study the facts and ponder on the core principles involved. We call upon all Filipinos who love this country, especially the youth, who shall inherit the far-reaching consequences of our correct and wrong decisions. Before we open our mouth, before we post any reckless statement online, and exhibit our loquacious ignorance, via social media. We need to be grounded on the facts, Wrong facts, wrong analysis, wrong conclusions, wrong actions.

We should recall that in January 2013, our government under the previous administration initiated arbitration relative to our claims over the islands, islets, cays, shoals and reefs, which are either being invaded by China based on a discarded nine-dash line. Because of that initiative, an arbitration tribunal was constituted under Annex VII of UNCLOS. It was decided that the Permanent Court of Arbitrators would perform the function as the regular registry and to provide administrative duties in the arbitration proceedings. True to our goal as a nation and people, on July 12, 2016, the arbitrators unanimously rendered a decision in our favor. It rejected all the pretensions of China and concurred with our official position. The arbitrators concluded that China's nine-dash line has no evidence establishing any historical basis. China, according to the arbitrators, does not have any right and in fact it violated our right. And that is a major victory. It cannot be derided as a mere piece of paper.

The Permanent Court of Arbitrators' decision is final and unappealable. The tribunal criticized China's massive reclamations and construction in defiance of the adverse decision. The tribunal even declared that what China has been doing in defiance of lawful orders is damaging to a large extent the coral reef environment and is disturbing the balance of marine life in the area. Not only that, what is even worse is that this superpower is going against the force of world opinion. The tribunal's decision enjoys the popular support and concurrence of practically civilized nations in all the continents from the Americas, to Europe, to Africa and Asia and Antartica. China's open defiance of both legal and international opinion is a blatant and naked display of arrogance of power, and is not in keeping with the basic principles of the United Nations and all the basic values of civilized peoples in the global community of nations.

It is therefore the source of our deepest disappointment and even sorrow that our head of state and head of government, our commander-in-chief, has spoken against the victory that we obtained in the international court of justice. How can we rally our people to continue the struggle if the father of the nation has made such a statement? I am very sad, but I am not losing hope. I have a strong feeling that at the end of this all, we shall have our justice. We shall get what we are all entitled to, our dignity as a people blessed by God.