The elegant Ayuntamiento’s Salon de Baile (Marble Hall) was the setting of last Thursday lecture on the “South China Sea Dispute” by Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Tirol Carpio. As some may recall, the Ayuntamiento, the Old City Hall of Manila, was the Ancestral Home of the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial departments of our government. In his introduction, Justice Carpio acknowledged such by sharing an old news clipping which showed the Supreme Court holding its first session at the Marble Hall in 1899.

It was an honor for me to introduce Justice Carpio who is now chairman of both the Supreme Court’s Second Division and the Senate Electoral Tribunal. Today, his research and lectures on the West Philippine Sea before several forums – the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, De La Salle University, Ateneo Law School, Philippine Women’s Judges Association, and professional groups in Jakarta, among others, have earned him great admiration for their relevance. He has debunked China’s claim to our maritime resources — an act of great patriotism as it could prevent China’s further encroachment, a move that has great implications on our national security and the welfare of future generations. The lecture, jointly organized by the Bureau of Treasury and the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communication (AIJC), while focusing on the legal implications of the ongoing reclamation, also provides context and background of the dispute. From his lecture, we gather these important highlights:

• A nine-dash line claim (refers to the demarcation line used by the Chinese government to claim part of the South China Sea was submitted to the UN in 2009 by China.
Read more at http://www.mb.com.ph/chinas-reclamation-can-create-a-national-crisis/#klaVmqvTPWLxlhot.99