Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio called on the Duterte administration to push for protocols with China on fishing activities in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal. Carpio also said the Philippine government may file a protest and seek damages against China for preventing Filipinos from fishing in Panatag Shoal, but it cannot invoke sovereign rights over the contested area in the West Philippine Sea just yet. Carpio, an expert on South China Sea issues who was part of the Philippine team that won the arbitration case against China, explained the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in July 2016 did not settle the territorial dispute between the two nations over the shoal due to lack of jurisdiction on the matter.

Punay, E., Diaz, J., & Mateo, J. (2018, June 13). Push for protocols on fishing in Panatag, gov't urged. The Philippine Star, p. 5.