President Rodrigo Duterte should be careful with his public pronouncements on the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) dispute and assert, not undermine, the Philippines’ claims, Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has said. Carpio agreed that the Philippines could not afford to go to war with China but stressed that the President possessed the constitutional duty as commander in chief of the Armed Forces to assert the country’s rights over the contested waters. In case the Chinese attack Philippine Navy vessels, the Philippine government should invoke the Philippines-US Mutual defense Treaty which covers any armed attack on Philippine Navy vessels operating in the South China Sea, Carpio said.

Depasupil, W. (2017, March 21). Be careful on sea row, Carpio tells Duterte. The Manila Time, pp. A1, A8.