MANILA, Philippines — Advisers of former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino were “bitterly divided” on the Philippines’ arbitration case against China in 2013 that led to the landmark victory for Manila, retiredSupreme CourtSenior Associate Justice AntonioCarpio has revealed.
“[O]ne faction [was] against the arbitration and the other in favor of the arbitration. These two factions fought from the beginning to the end,” Carpio said in his Inquirer column Thursday.
While this was the case, Carpio said Aquino “made the difficult decision” to push through with challenging China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea before an international court.
“It took courage a…
Keep on reading: Noynoy Aquino’s advisers ‘bitterly divided’ on China arbitration case — Carpio