The Stratbase ADR Institute has condemned the August 11 incident in Bajo de Masinloc, where Chinese vessels allegedly carried out illegal and aggressive maneuvers that caused a dangerous collision during a lawful Philippine Coast Guard resupply mission for local fisherfolk.
Stratbase president Prof. Victor Andres “Dindo” Manhit said the actions violated binding legal instruments, including the 2016 Arbitral Award, which affirmed the area as Philippine territory.
“The Stratbase Institute stressed the primacy of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” he emphasized.
Calling the incident a “stark reminder” of the need to uphold the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Arbitral Award, Manhit urged the Marcos administration to stand firm in asserting the nation’s sovereign rights and safeguarding fisherfolk, military, and Coast Guard personnel.
“With international law on our side, the Marcos Jr. administration must stand firm in its commitment not to surrender ‘a single square inch of our territory,” Manhit said.
