By Junex Doronio
MANILA — Alarmed by reports that China could be in the process of building an artificial island in Sabina Shoal near Palawan, retired Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio on Sunday (12 May 2024) said the Philippines should stop China from the supposed reclamation activities in Sabina Shoal and Pag-asa Cay.
On Saturday (11 May 2024), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported spotting what appeared to be Chinese researchers on Sabina Shoal.
“I think they are in the process of making markings because they destroyed the coral reefs, maybe that’s the first phase,” Carpio told GMA Integrated News in an interview.
It can be noted that the shoal, a sandbank or sandbar just below the surface of the water, is 75 nautical miles or 140 kilometers from Palawan and within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of 200 nautical miles.
The former High Court magistrate also said the Philippines should bring the matter of the Chinese destroying the coral to the tribunal of the United Nations on the Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“The fact that they destroyed it, that’s already prejudicial to us because that’s our EEZ and the coral reefs are important for the ecosystem for fish to thrive,” Carpio noted.
(el Amigo/MNM)
