Philippines to lose maritime territory larger than its total land area if loses EEZ —Carpio

The Philippines will lose maritime territory larger than the country's total land mass if it loses its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) to China, according to retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.

In The Mangahas Interviews, Carpio said the country will lose 80% of its EEZ if it  will not challenge China's aggressive moves in Philippine waters.

"They will get everything within the nine-dash line. That means they will get 80% of our economic zone," he said in a mix of Filipino and English.

In a separate interview on ANC on Thursday, Carpio said 80% of the country's EEZ "is a maritime area larger than our total land area."

In TMI, Carpio suggested three actions that the government could take: "First, legal fight through arbitration. Second, we have to strengthen our alliance. Third, we have to strengthen our self defense." 

Carpio, in the ANC interview, said China is eyeing control over the entire South China Sea and may even go beyond the nine-dash line. He added that China is able to “accelerate” this due to “people like President Duterte who cooperates” with them.

The former magistrate explained that invoking Philippines’ rights over its EEZ will not compromise its trade relations with China. He noted the policies of Vietnam and Malaysia, which he said are “facing Chinese in the high seas”  but still enjoy good business relations with the Asian powerhouse.

Currently, Carpio said the Chinese vessels are establishing a presence in the West Philippine Sea to eventually build structures in the area.

He reiterated the need to rally and invoke the 2016 arbitral ruling as this is China's “weakest point.” However, he said this cannot be pushed without the approval of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“He’s the chief architect of the foreign policy. We cannot file a case before the arbitral tribunal without his consent, his approval,” said Carpio.

The former SC justice likewise said that the Code of Conduct between China and the ASEAN nations — which Duterte supports — will just “legitimize” the artificial structures that they have built outside their territories.

“From the very start, China said we will sign a Code of Conduct at the appropriate time, when the time is right. When is the time right for China? When China has completed all its artificial islands," he said.

The Philippine government has spotted at lease six Chinese navy warships and more than 200 Chinese maritime militia, Chinese warships and illegal poachers scattered in the West Philippine Sea, prompting the Department of Foreign Affairs to file a diplomatic protest. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Zhao Lijian, meanwhile, appealed to Philippine officials to stop "hyping up" and giving negative reactions to the situation in the West Philippine Sea. —KBK, GMA News