Ph scores at The Hague

THE HAGUE Netherlands -- The United Nations arbitral tribunal hearing the West Philippine Sea dispute between the Philippines and China ruled unanimously that it has the right to hear Manila’s complaint over Chinese incursions into its waters.

The tribunal rejected China’s argument that the UN, otherwise known as the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, has no jurisdiction over the case.

The ruling is a big victory for the Philippines as it will then proceed in laying down the merits of its case against China, which has been building military installations on artificial reefs very close to the Philippines.

A decision by the PCA is expected for next year. The PCA said in a news release that it “has held that both the Philippines and China are parties to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and therefore bound by its provisions on the settlement of disputes.”

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