Push Admin

Take back West PH Sea remarks? Put Duterte comments in context, says Palace

Article (news)

Jamaine Punzalan, ABS-CBN News 

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/news/05/17/20210510-duterte-cabinet-8-2.jpg"/><figcaption>President Rodrigo Roa Duterte talks to the people from the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City on May 10, 2021. Joey Dalumpines, Presidential Photo</figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Filipinos should put President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s remarks in &quot;context&quot;, Malacañang said on Monday, in response to calls from a retired justice and graduates from his alma matter demanding that he withdraw his comments on the West Philippine Sea, where Chinese incursions continue. Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio last week launched an online petition urging Duterte to take back his comments that Manila&#x27;s arbitral victory against Beijing was a scrap of &quot;<a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/06/21/duterte-china-arbitral-ruling-west-philippine-sea">paper</a>&quot;; that Chinese fishermen <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/04/23/21/duterte-xi-fishing-deal-west-philippine-sea-palace-denies">can fish</a> in Philippine waters; and that China is <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/11/15/18/duterte-south-china-sea-already-in-chinas-possession">in possession</a> of the waterway. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/10/21/rodrigo-duterte-abandonment-arbitration-victory-china-dangerous-binding-international-law-antonio-carpio">Duterte abandonment of arbitral win &#x27;dangerous&#x27;, binding if China agrees: Carpio</a></li></ul>An alumni group from San Beda University, where Duterte graduated, made the same appeal. &quot;Ilagay po natin lahat ‘yan sa konteksto,&quot; Duterte&#x27;s spokesman Harry Roque said of the President&#x27;s remarks.&quot;Perhaps, sa lenggwahe ni Presidente, he may not be as accurate. Pero consistent po ang sinasabi niya,&quot; he said in a press briefing. (Let us put all that in context. Perhaps, in the language of the President, he may not be as accurate. But he is consistent in what he says.)Duterte&#x27;s critics have warned that his statements have implications on the Philippines&#x27; position on the issue, which will last beyond the term of the current administration.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/06/21/makabayan-slams-duterte-arbitral-award">&#x27;Napakabalahura&#x27;: Solons call out Duterte for downplaying arbitral win vs China</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/09/21/robredo-seriously-concerned-over-dutertes-recent-statements-on-west-ph-sea">Robredo &#x27;seriously concerned&#x27; over Duterte&#x27;s recent statements on West PH Sea</a></li></ul>Duterte was referring to Scarborough Shoal when he said China was in possession of the West Philippine Sea, said Roque. China seized the shoal in 2012, after a standoff with the Philippines. This prompted the administration of Duterte&#x27;s predecessor Benigno Aquino to file an arbitral complaint against China before a United Nations-backed court. Shortly after Duterte took office, the tribunal in 2016 junked Beijing&#x27;s &quot;historical&quot; claims to 90 percent of the South China Sea, within which is the smaller West Philippine Sea. Addressing Duterte&#x27;s remark that the landmark ruling is &quot;paper&quot; that can be thrown into the wastebasket, Roque said, &quot;Under international law, unless mayroon kang collective security measure, wala talagang pamamaraan para ipatupad ‘yan.&quot; (Under international law, unless you have a collective security measure, there is no way to enforce that. )&quot;You can only hope that China, as a member-state of the UN and as a permanent member of the Security Council will of course, comply with its obligations under International law. But beyond that, talagang wala pong ibang pamamaraan (we have no other way),&quot; said Roque, a lawyer. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/14/21/duterte-china-un-united-nationals-arbitral-ruling">Duterte says &#x27;comedy&#x27; if he turns to UN for help vs China on S. China Sea dispute</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/13/21/duterte-many-will-die-from-west-ph-sea-kunsimisyon-but-not-me">Duterte: Many will die from West PH Sea &#x27;kunsumisyon&#x27;, but not me</a></li></ul>Arbitration is allowed as a dispute settlement mechanism under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, of which the Philippines and China are both signatories.China did not participate in the arbitration case filed by the Philippines, and continues to disregard the ruling, which legal experts say is binding. <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=1686664" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Video courtesy of PTV</div>

Filipinos should put President Rodrigo Duterte's remarks in "context", Malacañang said on Monday, in response to calls from a retired justice and graduates from his alma matter demanding that he withdraw his comments on the West Philippine Sea, where Chinese incursions continue.

Filipinos should put President Rodrigo Duterte's remarks in "context", Malacañang said on Monday, in response to calls from a retired justice and graduates from his alma matter demanding that he withdraw his comments on the West Philippine Sea, where Chinese incursions continue.

Take back West PH Sea remarks? Put Duterte comments in context, says Palace

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Sports

Metro.Style

More

Sudoku

Word of the Day

Lotto

Horoscope

News

Take back West PH Sea remarks? Put Duterte comments in context, says Palace

Jamaine Punzalan,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 17, 2021 04:16 PM PHT

Read More:

West Philippine Sea

WPS

Antonio Carpio

China

China-Philippines

Change.org

petition

Julian Felipe Reef

Philippine Coast Guard

President Rodrigo Duterte

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

AI Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

AI Policy

Advertise with Us

© 2026 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.