Carpio suggests building civilian structure on Ayungin Shoal amid China's attacks

Former Supreme Court senior associate justice Antonio Carpio on Tuesday said the Philippines should build  a structure on Ayungin Shoal following the latest attacks against Filipino vessels in the West Philippine Sea.

“We will put up a civilian structure to Ayungin Shoal. For example, magtayo tayo ng [let's put up a] lighthouse, or marine scientific research center. Kasi Ayungin Shoal is part of our exclusive economic zone (EEZ), tayo lang ang pwedeng magtayo ng struktura doon exclusively,” Carpio said in an interview on DWPM Radyo 630.

 (Ayungin Shoal is part of our exclusive economic zone (EEZ). We are exclusively the only ones who can put up a structure there.)

“Dapat 'yun ang gawin natin. Instead of sending military supplies, we will be sending later on civilian supplies. Iko-convert natin 'yung activity from military to civilian," he added, referring to the missions to resupply the soldiers stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre at the shoal.

(That's what we should do. Instead of sending military supplies, we will be sending civilian supplies later. We will convert the activity from military to civilian.)

Putting up a structure could also preserve and protect the marine environment in the area, he said. China has also been accused of damaging and harvesting corals in the area, an allegation China has denied.

Meanwhile, amid some lawmakers' calls to expel China's Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian, Carpio said it would be good to recall the Philippines' ambassador to Beijing.

"The first thing that we should do is recall our ambassador in Beijing. We have to calibrate it. Mag-umpisa tayo d’yan sa recall muna. ‘Yung extreme measures saka na ‘yon,” he said.

(Let's start with the recall first. That's the extreme measures.)

Carpio said expelling Huang should not be the first step.

“Huwag muna, that’s very serious already. Kapag nag-escalate na. Normally, before you expel the ambassador, i-expel mo muna ‘yung lower officials, hindi yung ambassador. Mabigat ‘yun,” he added.

(Don't, that's very serious already. When it escalates. Normally, before you expel the ambassador, you first expel the lower officials, not the ambassador. That's heavy.)  — Sherylin Untalan/BM, GMA Integrated News