The fishermen who had asked the Supreme Court to order the government to protect and rehabilitate Panatag Shoal and Panganiban Reef in the West Philippine Sea have withdrawn their names from the petition, saying they were being used for political reasons, the state’s top lawyer said Tuesday. The announcement from Solicitor General Jose Calida came as the Palace said President Rodrigo Duterte would use his fourth State of the Nation Address to “educate” the public on the constitutionality of his verbal deal in 2016 with Chinese President Xi Jinping to allow the Chinese to fish within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

Requejo, R. E., & Mariano, N. (2019, July 10). No case in Sino sea intrusions. Manila Standard, pp. A1-A2.