OSG studying legal options on arbitral victory vs China

MANILA — Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra has formed a panel to study the country's next move regarding its 7-year-old legal victory over China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) on a territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea.

"Two weeks ago I constituted already a special team of high-caliber solicitors who have extensive training in international law, international public law and also in arbitration to study the legal options that the Philippine government may take in connection with the victory that we had secured in 2016 from the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) against our neighbor," Guevarra said.

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"We all know the subsisting problems even after that victory in the arbitration court," he continued in response to Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez during a House hearing on Wednesday.

The government's top legal counsel also explained that it needed to study suggestions to elevate the matter to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) and have another arbitration in the PCA.

"We are very much aware about the proposal to bring the matter to the UN General Assembly, which is a very political forum, and also a similar proposal to have a second round of arbitration with the Permanent Court of Arbitration," Guevarra said.

"But these are matters that have to be studied very carefully by the Office of the Solicitor General as counsel for the republic because these may have very, very serious and important implications, so right now we are in the midst of this study," he added.

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Guevarra said they would welcome special funding for this study if it was proposed by Congress.

Rodriguez said he would propose a P10 million budget for the endeavor.

The tension between Manila and Beijing flared up again after the Chinese Coast Guard allegedly blocked Philippine boats during a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre last August 5.

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