MANILA, Philippines – The Philippines is no longer concerned about getting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to issue a unified statement on the South China Sea as the July 12 ruling of an international court invalidating China’s massive maritime claim is enough “legal foundation” to support Manila’s position, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said Monday.

He said convincing fellow ASEAN member-states to take a common stand against China’s aggressive staking of its claim in disputed waters now appears to be a “hopeless” task.

“If you ask the Philippines, we already have the arbitral ruling. We have legal foundation. The Philippines is not concerned with a united ASEAN statement but you have to live up to the founding principles of ASEAN,” Yasay told journalists attending the Japan-ASEAN Media Forum at the Shangri-La EDSA Hotel in Mandaluyong City.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/08/31/1618991/philippines-no-longer-needs-asean-unified-statement