Deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte, in a Statement, said Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario summarized the salient points of the arguments presented by the Philippine legal team to the first and second rounds of argument. Solicitor General Hilbay delivered the closing remarks on behalf of the Philippines. The Philippines sought to clarify the maritime entitlements of countries over parts of the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The arbitration court's rulings are supposed to be binding on its member countries, which include China. But the tribunal has no powers of enforcement and its verdicts have sometimes been ignored.

Montemayor, J. (2015, December 2). PH awaits decision on sea dispute. Malaya Business Insight, p. B1, B6.