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PH Bar Association offers to host Duterte vs Carpio debate on West Philippine Sea

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ABS-CBN News

<p>MANILA — The Philippine Bar Association (PBA) on Thursday offered to host a debate between President Rodrigo Duterte and retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on issues surrounding the West Philippine Sea. </p><p>The development came after Carpio earlier in the day accepted the President&#x27;s challenge to a debate. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/06/21/duterte-carpio-debate-south-china-sea">READ: Carpio accepts Duterte debate dare on West PH issue, urges President to resign</a></li></ul><p>In a statement, Rico Domingo, president of the Philippine Bar Association, said the public could benefit &quot;immensely&quot; from the forum, which he described as a &quot;frank and straightforward discussion on a matter that affects the entire citizenry.&quot; </p><p>&quot;As the oldest voluntary private organization of lawyers in the country, the PBA will provide a balanced arena fit for two lawyers of eminent stature and experience to dispassionately discuss the core issues relating to the dispute on the West Philippine Sea,&quot; Domingo explained. </p><p>He added that they are just waiting for the time and date the President and Carpio will agree on, noting that the forum will be hosted for free. </p><p>The retired magistrate accepted the organization&#x27;s offer to host the debate. </p><p>“I am happy to accept the offer of PBA to host and moderate the debate,&quot; said Carpio. </p><p>Duterte had blamed the administration of his predecessor, former president Benigno Aquino III, for the loss of Scarborough Shoal in 2012 following a standoff with China. </p><p>On Wednesday night, Duterte also likened the country&#x27;s 2016 victory in The Hague as &quot;just a <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/06/21/duterte-china-arbitral-ruling-west-philippine-sea">piece of paper</a>&quot; that belonged to the &quot;wastebasket.&quot; </p><p>Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario earlier in the day said it was a &quot;national tragedy&quot; that the chief executive considers the 2016 arbitral ruling as such. </p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1678821" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>The United Nations-backed tribunal had ruled in favor of Manila and junked Beijing&#x27;s claim to about 90 percent of the South China Sea, within which is the smaller West Philippine Sea — the country&#x27;s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the resource-rich waters. </p><p>Around 200 ships are still moored in the West Philippine Sea, a geospatial intelligence firm said early Thursday. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/06/21/about-200-ships-still-moored-at-west-philippine-sea-firm-says">READ: About 200 ships still moored at West Philippine Sea, geo-analyst says</a></li></ul><p>The Philippine government has filed several protests regarding the continued incursions of Chinese ships in the country&#x27;s EEZ.</p><div><strong>— With reports from Mike Navallo, ABS-CBN News</strong></div>

<p>MANILA — The Philippine Bar Association (PBA) on Thursday offered to host a debate between President Rodrigo Duterte and retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on issues surrounding the West Philippine Sea. </p>

MANILA — The Philippine Bar Association (PBA) on Thursday offered to host a debate between President Rodrigo Duterte and retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio on issues surrounding the West Philippine Sea.