DND reaffirms commitment to 2016 arbitral ruling on South China Sea

Filipino Times

12-07-2025

The Department of National Defense (DND) reaffirmed the Philippines' commitment to the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) on the South China Sea on Saturday, emphasizing that the landmark decision underscores the importance of upholding international law in maritime disputes.
In a statement marking the ninth anniversary of the ruling, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the Arbitral Award remains a clear affirmation of the country's sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.
'The Philippines, a nation committed to peace and principled engagement, views this Award not just as a cornerstone of our foreign and security policy, but as an irreducible truth,' Teodoro said.
The defense chief emphasized that the arbitral decision, which invalidated China's sweeping claims in the South China Sea, is not merely a legal document, but 'a resounding declaration that the only legitimate guide for the conduct of nations is the rule of law – never the imposition of might.'
He further asserted that no degree of external pressure, revisionist interpretation, or geopolitical maneuvering can invalidate that truth.
Teodoro also underscored that asserting the country's sovereign rights is not an act of provocation but a duty of the Philippine government.
'Defending our sovereign rights and jurisdiction is not an act of provocation. It is the sacred and fundamental duty of the Republic – an expression of our responsibility to our nation, to the Filipino people, and to the countless generations of Filipinos who will inherit this sacred trust,' he said.
Issued on July 12, 2016, the PCA ruling favored the Philippines in its case against China and ruled that Beijing's nine-dash line claim had no legal basis under international law.