Rowegie Abanto

Then Supreme Court Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza explains the United Nations ruling on the West Philippine Sea case against China at a press briefing, July 13, 2016. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File



Supreme Court Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza explains the United Nations ruling on the   west Philippine sea case against China at a press briefing on Wednesday.

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20160713-francis-jardeleza-JC

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable fr-active" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/P9GDphcHvyM?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>MANILA — Former Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza on Thursday renewed his call for the government to file another arbitration case against China to build on gains from the 2016 Hague ruling.</p><p>He said whether or not to take Beijing again to an international court should be an election issue in the 2028 presidential polls.</p><p>&quot;&#x27;Yan ang matagal ko nang sinasabi at may mga kakampi ako diyan, may mga hindi kakampi,&quot; he told ANC.</p><p>(I have been saying that for a long time. There are those who are with me on this and those who are against it)</p><p>Jardeleza was among the team of lawyers who questioned China&#x27;s sweeping claims in the South China Sea before the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which said the claims have no basis in international law.</p><p>As early as <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/07/12/23/ph-could-file-new-case-vs-china-for-damages-ex-solgen">2023</a>, Jardeleza had publicly campaigned for the Philippine government to lodge a fresh case against Beijing for environmental damage in the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who was also a member of the Philippine team that argued for the Philippines&#x27; sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea, has also previously suggested suing China for damages over <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/09/27/23/philippines-can-sue-china-for-damage-to-corals-carpio">its alleged coral destruction</a> in the area.</p><p>For Jardeleza, the government may be wasting the advantage that the Philippines obtained from the 2016 arbitral award, which he said provides a &quot;map&quot; for future complaints.</p><p>A new case may clarify what constitutes as environmental degredation, and it could set the amount — possibly billions of dollars — China owes the Philippines for the alleged damage, he added.</p><p>The former solicitor general again noted that the Philippines would not need to hire &quot;expensive&quot; foreign lawyers because the Office of the Solicitor General, the government&#x27;s chief legal defender, can accomodate the environmental case against China.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEOS</strong></div><div><strong><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/s2Goue_D9Mo?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OUHqHDldRgk?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></strong><br/></div>

<p>Former Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza on Thursday renewed his call for the government to file another arbitration case against China, saying whether or not to take Beijing again to an international court should be an election issue in 2028.</p>

Former Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza on Thursday renewed his call for the government to file another arbitration case against China, saying whether or not to take Beijing again to an international court should be an election issue in 2028.

Whether or not to file new case vs China should be election issue in 2028: ex-SolGen Jardeleza

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Whether or not to file new case vs China should be election issue in 2028: ex-SolGen Jardeleza

Rowegie Abanto,

ABS-CBN News

Published Feb 12, 2026 12:05 PM PHT

Read More:

Francis Jardeleza

Solicitor General

West Philippine Sea

China

Philippines

Environmental Damage

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