Triumph of law

Prof. Ernesto Rioveros, Blue Falcons’ deputy national spokesman, said that the country’s biggest Peace and Environmental watchdog, The Noble Blue Falcons International (environmentalists, peace crusaders, unity advocates) celebrates the Philippine win over maritime dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea. “It is a triumph of law vs bullying by a mighty nation. It is both a legal and moral victory. It shows the resolved of the Filipinos to protect their rights through peaceful means,” Rioveros said. In a recent statement, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague, Netherlands said: “There was no evidence that China has historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or their resources. The tribunal concluded that there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources with the seas falling within the ‘nine-dash line.’” Such ruling upheld the right of the Philippines to its Exclusive Economic Zone measured at 200 nautical miles from the baseline and disproved the ninedash-line theory of China. It is in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) on which both China and Philippines are signatories.

In line with the victory, NBFI suggests the creation of West Philippine Commission to handle the diplomatic and political advantage of the Hague ruling, which must bind China. The Commission must also undertake the rehabilitation of the marine species and coral reefs destroyed by the illegal reclamation made by China in Bajo de Masinloc/Scarborough Shoal. On matters of livelihood, the Commission must support the fishermen deprived economically by the bullying of the Chinese coast guards of the 2,000 fisherfolk, in eight provinces especially Palawan which was the most affected. Moving forward, the proposed commission will lead the exploration of the Recto Bank, which is rich both in natural gas and oils worth trillion of pesos.

Bro. Melchor Enguerra, Coordinator of Noble Blue Falcons search and rescue vowed to send their elite rescue units to protect people who will be flocking to the West Philippine Sea either as activists or tourists inspired by our victory vs China. “We will act as a support units to provide rescue assistance in times of natural calamities or man-made catastrophe that might be encountered as we impose our sovereign rights vs modem colonizers.”

Noble Blue Falcons Int’l is the biggest environmental and peace group in the country today with 444,000 members. It was founded on March 19, 1996 at the Peak of Mt Falcon in San Luis, Aurora. – Noble Blue Falcons International, Casiguran, Aurora