Duterte Readies to Raise Ruling with China
When Philippine leader Rodrigo Duterte visits China this week, he'll need to salvage something from a "pivot" to Beijing that has left him empty-handed, and exposed his neighbours to a new level of brinkmanship in the South China Sea.Despite his huge domestic popularity and great affection for China, Duterte is under growing pressure to push back at its growing maritime assertiveness. After avoiding the issue for three years, he has vowed to raise with President Xi Jinping a 2016…
Beijing Must Obey Ruling on Sea Dispute
China has to comply with any ruling on competing territorial claims with the Philippines in the South China Sea even if it will not take part in case before Hague court, opined Philippine judge, reports Bloomberg. Philippine Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio said that it doesn’t matter if China doesn’t appear, if the tribunal finds that there is jurisdiction, the tribunal will proceed. His country doesn’t want anyone, any state to resort to armed force in settling this dispute, he affirmed. Earlier in January 2013, China has refused to participate in the case before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague that the Philippines brought.
12 Years After Ferry Disaster, Money Awarded
Relatives of two passengers of a Philippine ferry who died with 4,000 others in the world's worst peacetime sea disaster have won claims for damages after almost 12 years of court battle. The Philippine Supreme Court, in a ruling on Tuesday, awarded $18,775 in damages to the relatives of school teacher Sebastian Canezal and his 11-year-old daughter who both drowned in the sinking of the inter-island ferry Dona Paz. The Dona Paz sank in December 1987 after a collision with the oil tanker MT Vector off Mindoro island in the central Philippines. Court records showed the Dona Paz was carrying an estimated 4,000 people. Only 24 people survived. Canezal's wife and mother sued the ferry owners, Sulpicio Lines, Inc, for damages.
