The Department of Foreign Affairs stated Tuesday that the Philippines’ maritime zones are not at risk, responding to remarks by retired Supreme Court justice Antonio Carpio.
The DFA said Carpio’s June 12 comments, which accused the department of dereliction of duty and treason over the BBNJ Agreement, rest on a misreading of the text. It noted that the agreement explicitly excludes the maritime zones of coastal states from its scope.
The DFA added that the BBNJ Agreement does not cover fish stocks, which fall under the separate UN Fish Stocks Agreement in force since December 2001. It also stated that China’s declaration does not explicitly mention the South China Sea and that the 2016 Arbitral Award already addressed related claims.
“Simply stated: the Philippines’ maritime zones are not at risk,” the DFA said, while calling the accusations baseless. It acknowledged Carpio’s contributions to law and scholarship.
