The government is exploring legal avenues to address China’s illegal activities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), according to Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) and other government agencies are collaborating with the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to consider these options, Guevarra, quoted by ABS-CBN News, said.
Guevarra declined to disclose specifics, stating that revealing their intended legal actions would be counterproductive.
This comes amid ongoing incursions by Chinese vessels into the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, despite a 2016 international arbitration ruling that invalidated China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea.
While the Philippines won that ruling, its enforcement has been stalled. Guevarra previously advocated for increased OSG funding to facilitate studying enforcement strategies.
Over the weekend, Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo reiterated the Philippines’ commitment to the rule of law and expressed hope that China would eventually adhere to the arbitral ruling.