The Philippines is actively considering legal actions against China, accusing it of causing damage to coral reefs within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the South China Sea. China has rejected these allegations, labeling them an attempt to “create political drama.”
The Philippines’ foreign ministry announced on Thursday that it is awaiting assessments from various agencies to determine the extent of environmental harm in Iroquois Reef, located in the Spratly Islands. The country intends to follow the guidance of Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra in this matter.
On Friday, Guevarra stated that the Philippines is exploring the possibility of initiating a second legal case before the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague. This decision comes after the Philippines’ successful first case filed in 2013, which challenged China’s territorial claims in the region.
Guevarra explained that this new study is not solely based on the alleged reef destruction but also considers other incidents and the broader situation in the West Philippine Sea, as referred to by Manila for the part of the South China Sea it claims as its own.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) stated its readiness to contribute to this effort in a statement, emphasizing that states operating within the Philippines’ EEZ and maritime zones must safeguard and preserve the marine environment.
The possibility of pursuing arbitration could become a contentious issue, especially considering the Philippines’ major legal victory in 2016 when it challenged China’s sovereignty claims over most of the South China Sea, a challenge that international law found to lack a basis.
