Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio chided President Rodrigo Duterte over his repeated claims that China is “in control” of the West Philippine Sea, saying the commander-in-chief is conceding more than what Beijing is claiming. “The West Philippine Sea is very vast. Its total area is probably even bigger than the total land area of the Philippines,” Carpio said in an interview on Teleradyo Saturday. “When the President says China is in control – China is in control of eight islands or geographical features plus Scarborough Shoal. The total area (of the islands controlled by China) is less than 6 to 7 percent of the total West Philippine Sea. China is in control of a very small portion.”

Pañares, J., & Cruz, M. (2021, May 9). Duterte told: Stop conceding more than what China is claiming. Manila Standard, p. A1.