Julia Christine Botin

Article (news)

Victoria Tulad

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17713118297522-Composite (7).jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960"/></div><p>MANILA — Sen. Rodante Marcoleta said it was unnecessary to sue retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio for treason as he is pronouncing the latter guilty already. </p><p>Marcoleta made the declaration on his TV program on Monday. </p><p>He was reacting to the statement of Carpio that “every first year law student knows that treason cannot be committed during peacetime.”</p><p>Carpio also mentioned that Marcoleta needed to <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/16/carpio-tells-marcoleta-to-amend-revised-penal-code-first-before-charging-him-with-treason-1703">amend the Revised Penal Code </a>before suing him for treason.</p><p>“Akala ko kasi, malawak ang pang-unawa ng taong ito. Kaya ganun lang ang sinabi ko,” Marcoleta said. “Actually, ang gusto ko sabihin, I pronounce you guilty of treason already. Hindi na kita kailangan idemanda pa.”</p><p>“I am pronouncing you guilty of treason sapagkat tinraydor mo ang ating bansa. Pinagtaksilan mo ang iyong bansa. Naduwag ka sa paglalagay sa wastong kaayusan ng ating Saligang Batas. Isinurrender mo ang national territory,” the senator added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/17/marcoleta-accepts-philippine-bar-association-offer-to-host-friendly-debate-on-west-philippine-sea-1256">Marcoleta accepts Philippine Bar Association offer to host ‘friendly debate’ on West Philippine Sea</a></div><p>The talk about treason began after Marcoleta, in the same TV program, said on February 13 that Carpio supposedly gave away almost 242,000 square nautical miles of the Philippines’ territorial sea. </p><p>“Desisyon niya ito, maalala niya, sasabihin ko sa kanya, Magallona v. Ermita,” Marcoleta said last Friday. </p><p>“Pumayag siya sa argumento ng gobyerno na paliitin na lang natin ang territorial sea sapagkat makakakuha na tayo ng ganansya sa ating exclusive economic zone.”</p><p>“Lumaki nga sa palagay niya ang exclusive economic zone, ipinamigay niya yung 242,000 square nautical miles. Territorial sea yun, ibig sabihin parte ng ating territory. Yung maritime rights, limited lang yun, economic rights lang yun. I charge him treason for this. Kailangan malaman mo na, Justice Carpio, kung nakikinig ka,” the lawmaker said on February 13. </p><p>On Monday he continued, “Kahit grade one siguro, maintindihan niya, hindi mo puwedeng ipamigay ang teritoryo ng iyong bansa. Kasi magkakasala ka sa ating Saligang Batas.”</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/4/tarriela-warns-vs-backing-china-s-claims-in-west-ph-sea-calls-it-treason-1547">&#x27;You are considered a traitor&#x27;: Tarriela warns vs backing China’s claims in West PH Sea</a></div><p>In a decision Carpio penned in 2011, the Supreme Court upheld Republic Act 9522 which amended certain provisions of Republic Act No. 3046 to define the archipelagic baseline of the Philippines and for other purposes. </p><p>Carpio has said including in Philippine territory the waters beyond the country’s 12 nautical mile territorial sea measured from archipelagic baselines would be in clear violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and customary international law.</p><p>“It would be like China&#x27;s nine-dash line, in clear violation of UNCLOS and customary international law,” Carpio said. </p><p>“Had the Supreme Court upheld the contention of Magallona et al, our arbitration against China would have been dismissed outright by the arbitral tribunal under the legal principle that he who comes to court must come with clean hands,” he said. </p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/17/chinese-warships-shadow-ph-us-australia-drills-in-west-philippine-sea-0825">Chinese warships shadow PH-US-Australia drills in West Philippine Sea</a><br/><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/17/ph-australian-navies-reaffirm-commitment-to-rules-based-order-during-hmas-toowoomba-visit-1317">PH, Australian navies reaffirm commitment to rules-based order during HMAS Toowoomba visit</a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/2/17/lawmaker-to-push-for-p400-m-budget-for-infrastructure-social-services-in-kalayaan-for-2027-1358">Lawmaker to push for P400-M budget for infrastructure, social services in Kalayaan for 2027</a></div><div><iframe width="1349" height="759" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qVoy1-nFaNo" title="PH Bar Association eyes rules in Carpio v Marcoleta West Philippine Sea debate | DZMM TeleRadyo" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><iframe width="1023" height="575" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bIw7f9CH2So" title="ICYMI: Carpio says Marcoleta could face ethics complaint | DZMM TeleRadyo" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>Sen. Rodante Marcoleta said it was unnecessary to sue retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio for treason as he is pronouncing the latter guilty already.</p>

Sen. Rodante Marcoleta said it was unnecessary to sue retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio for treason as he is pronouncing the latter guilty already.

Marcoleta says no need to sue Carpio for treason: ‘I pronounce you guilty’

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Marcoleta says no need to sue Carpio for treason: ‘I pronounce you guilty’

Victoria Tulad,

ABS-CBN News

Published February 17, 2026 02:56 PM PHT

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Updated February 17, 2026 03:53 PM PHT

Read More:

rodante marcoleta

antonio carpio

treason

magallona v ermita

West Philippine Sea

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