Former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said that China is eyeing to invade more territory in the West Philippine Sea, including Ayungin Shoal where the Philippines has stationed a makeshift military base.
In an interview with TV Patrol, Carpio said that Ayungin is the target of China due to its location near their military base in Mischief Reef and the natural gas reserves in Reed Bank.
“The tribunal (UN Permanent Court of Arbitration) has already ruled, we have sovereign rights, exclusive rights to the gas on Reed Bank. We don’t need their consent to go there because it’s ours,” Carpio said.
He added that if China continues its aggressive behavior, the Philippines might invoke its mutual defense treaty with the United States
“If the Chinese forcibly attacked it, that will be a ground for us to invoke the mutual defense treaty and the Americans said that’s covered with the mutual defense treaty,” the former Justice said.
