At the very least 17 lawmakers on Wednesday referred to as on President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to place ahead a decision within the upcoming United Nations Common Meeting (UNGA) calling on China to cease its repeated “hostile acts” in opposition to the Philippines within the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The 17 lawmakers led by Home Deputy Minority Chief and ML party-list Leila de Lima and Home Committee on Justice chairperson Gerville Luistro of Batangas made the decision underneath Home Decision 192, emphasizing the Philippine victory within the Hague-based Everlasting Courtroom of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague that mentioned that China’s claims within the South China Sea have “no authorized foundation.”
The identical resolution additionally dominated that the Ayungin Shoal, the Spratly Islands, Panganiban or Mischief Reef, and Recto or Reed Financial institution are inside the Philippines’ unique financial zone (EEZ), and that China can not stop Filipinos from catching fish in Scarborough Shoal as a result of it’s a widespread fishing floor.
“Though not legally binding, the UNGA Resolutions carry important political weight and function expressions of the need and consensus of the worldwide neighborhood, with the potential to form worldwide norms, affect nationwide insurance policies, and supply steering for the work of different UN organs, specialised companies, and regional organizations,” the Decision added.
”Though not legally binding, the UNGA Resolutions carry important political weight and function expressions of the need and consensus of the worldwide neighborhood, with the potential to form worldwide norms, affect nationwide insurance policies, and supply steering for the work of different UN organs, specialised companies, and regional organizations,” the Decision added.
The Decision cited that China has been engaged in large and sustained deployment of Chinese language maritime militia inside the Philippines’ Unique Financial Zone within the West Philippine Sea and that there have been at the very least seven cases of aggression from the Chinese language facet from June 2024 to August 2025 alone, with six incidents taking place this 12 months.
“Now, subsequently, be it resolved that the Government Division, via the Division of Overseas Affairs (DFA), be urged to introduce a Decision earlier than the UNGA calling on the Individuals’s Republic of China to respect the 2016 arbitral ruling and to stop its repeated hostile and aggressive acts in opposition to the Philippines within the West Philippine Sea (WPS),” the Decision learn.
In September 2024, the Division of Overseas Affairs (DFA) already expressed its intent to file a Decision earlier than the UNGA to handle the continued and escalating tensions between the 2 nations, an motion additionally proposed by retired Senior Supreme Courtroom Affiliate Justice Antonio Carpio in 2023.
Carpio was a part of the Philippine contingent that defended the Philippines’ claims within the West Philippine Sea when it sued China earlier than the Hague in 2013.
The Palace on Wednesday confirmed that Marcos will participate within the United Nations Common Meeting in September. —VAL, GMA Built-in Information
