By el Amigo
MANILA — The Philippine government is finalizing an environmental lawsuit against China for its alleged destructive activities in the West Philippine Sea.
The case, to be filed with the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, is expected to be completed in the coming weeks, according to Assistant Secretary Jose Dominic Clavano IV of the Department of Justice.
“We need to strengthen all the pieces of evidence that need to be attached,” Clavano said during a public briefing on Thursday. “But we are confident that in a few weeks, we will complete our complaint and the attached evidence.”
Legal experts have provided inputs to Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, Clavano noted. Last September, Remulla stated that the Philippines would proceed with the case regardless of the territorial dispute with China, emphasizing that environmental destruction is a global concern. “The destruction of the environment is a sin against humanity,” Remulla said.
The Philippine government has been gathering evidence of China’s activities in the West Philippine Sea for many years, with documentation efforts intensifying in late 2023. This announcement follows the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmation of a report from the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command.
The report detailed severe damage to the marine environment and coral reefs in the Rozul (Iroquois) Reef, part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). This area witnessed a “swarming” of approximately 33 Chinese maritime vessels between August 9 and September 11, 2023.
(IA/MNM)
