Remulla: Gov’t eyes filing of environmental case vs. China in early 2024

The Philippine government is seeking to file an environmental case against China over concerns in the disputed West Philippine Sea in early 2024, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Thursday.

“Mabilis naman trabahuhin ito. Sana by January or February, at the latest March, mai-launch namin ‘yung kaso. Hindi namin titigilan, tatantanan ito,” Remulla said in a media briefing.

(This will be processed quickly. I hope we can launch the case by January or  February, at the last March. We will not stop.)

Remulla earlier met with environmental lawyer Antonio Oposa Jr., former Supreme Court Justice Francis Jardeleza, and Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela at the Department of Justice (DOJ).

“We were encouraged to pursue what we thought— what we think is a good case to pursue in behalf not only of the Filipino people but the rest of humanity. Kasi ang apektado dito hindi lang naman ‘yung bansa natin. Actually, ang totoo rito, ang apektado dito ‘yung buong mundo,” he said.

(We were encouraged to pursue what we thought— what we think is a good case to pursue on behalf not only of the Filipino people but the rest of humanity. Because our country is not the only one affected, the whole world is affected.)

Remulla first mentioned the filing of the case against China in September, after the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command confirmed there were cases of massive coral harvesting along Rozul (Iroquois) Reef in the West Philippine Sea.

According to Remulla, the case will now include the artificial islands established by China.

“’Yung artifical islands na ‘yan inirereklamo natin. Isa 'yan sa mga kaso na pina-file natin… kasi 1982 pa itong UNCLOS. 1982 pa ito. Kaya may karapatan na tayo dito since 1982. Hindi naman ito bago lang,” he said.

(We will also include the artificial islands in our complaint. This is one of the cases that we will file… because UNCLOS dates back to 1982. So we have had a right to this since 1982. This isn’t new.)

When asked if there were concerns about the filing, Remulla replied that the country has evidence. He later said that the government would gather more.

“Kaya kinausap namin ang Coast Guard kasi ‘yung mga cinematographers at ‘yung mga tao na pwedeng tumulong sa atin, scientist ay tutulungan ng Coast Guard makaikot para mapakita ‘yung ganda na maaring nawawala sa atin at ‘yung mga yaman na maaaring nawawala sa sanlibutan, sa buong mundo,” he said.

(That’s why we talked to the Coast Guard because the Coast Guard will help the cinematographers and the people that can help us, who are scientists in going around to show the beauty that we might lose and the natural resources that the world might lose.)

‘Sea of Asia’

Remulla said they are also suggesting the usage of the term ‘Sea of Asia’ in the case instead of West Philippine Sea or South China Sea to make it more inclusive and relevant for the international community. 

“Ang tingin namin kasi, hinog na hinog na ‘yung panahon na ito’y parating na sa buong mundo na malaking kawalan ang nangyayari sa ating lahat sa ginagawa ng China sa ating karagatan at sa karagatan na maaring pakinabangan ng mundo sa pagdating ng panahon,” Remulla said.

(We think the time is ripe for us to tell the world about the big loss for everyone because of what China is doing to our seas and the seas that may benefit the world someday.)

“Ito ang sinasabi natin, ang kalikasan may pakinabang diyan ang buong mundo. Bakit nila winawasak ito?” he later added.

(This is what we are saying, nature benefits the whole world. Why are they destroying it?)

The Justice secretary, however, stressed that the Philippines is not weakening its territorial claim over the West Philippine Sea.

“This is in no way an indication of the Philippines diluting or weakening its territorial claims or stance. The suggestion is confined only to this case,” the Department of Justice said in a separate statement.

The agency said the term’s primary intention is to engage the international community “in a way that transcends territorial disputes.”

“By calling it the ‘Sea of Asia,’ we hope to underscore the point that this sea, regardless of the territorial claims and disputes, is a shared heritage and resource for all of Asia, and by extension, the world,” it said.

It also seeks to rally the international community and to stress that protecting and preserving the environment is a shared responsibility.

“Halimbawa, magtapon ng lason sa isang parte ng dagat, ‘yung lason na ‘yan aabot at aabot ‘yan sa ibang parte ng mundo. May maapektuhan dyan,” Remulla said.

(For example, if you throw poison on a part of the ocean, that poison will reach other parts of the world. Other people will be affected.]

“Kaya dapat lahat tayo sama-sama sa mundong ito, tignan natin ang mga danyos na nangyayari, sa mga behavior, sa mga ginagawang kabulastugan ng mga taong hindi maganda ang paningin sa kalikasan,” he added.

(That’s why everyone who lives in the world should look at the damage that is happening, the behavior, the wrongdoings of people who don’t have a good perspective on the environment.)—AOL, GMA Integrated News