MANILA, Philippines — After President Rodrigo Duterte’s “troubling” statements regarding the Philippines’ win over China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, a maritime law expert said that the President is now merely parroting the sentiments the Chinese government had when it lost the arbitral ruling.
Maritime law expert and University of the Philippines College of Law professor Jay Batongbacal said that it is wrong for Duterte to compare the country’s arbitral win over China to a piece of paper, to be thrown in trash.
“Actually ang nangyayari niyan ay inuulit lang niya kung ano ‘yung sinabi mismo ng China, nung natalo [sila] nung 2016,” said Batongbacal in an…
Keep on reading: Maritime law expert: Duterte echoing China sentiments when it lost arbitral ruling