Justice Carpio laments passing of Golez, ‘indefatigable defender’ of West PHL Sea

Supreme Court (SC) Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio on Monday lamented the death of former national security adviser Roilo Golez, whom he called an "indefatigable defender" of the West Philippine Sea.

"We lost a true patriot. He was an indefatigable defender of the West Philippine Sea," Carpio said in a statement.

"He embraced lawfare as a peaceful means of asserting our sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea. His death strengthens our resolve to carry on," he added.

Golez, an advocate of the Philippines' claims to the West Philippine Sea, died of heart attack on Monday.  He was 71.

He served as representative of the second district of Parañaque City for six terms, from 1992 to 2001 and from 2004 to 2013.

He also served as National Security Adviser from 2001 to 2004 under then-president and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

Carpio, meanwhile, was part of the legal team that defended Manila's case before the international arbitral tribunal that nullified China's excessive claims to the South China Sea. — Nicole-Anne C. Lagrimas/RSJ, GMA News