The Duterte administration will ignore the 2016 international arbitral court ruling favoring the Philippine position on the South China Sea to ensure “economic activity” in the country’s exclusive economic zone, including Chinese-led exploration from which Manila would be guaranteed 60 percent of revenues. Reacting to Duterte’s pronouncement, former foreign affairs chief Albert del Rosario said ensuring economic activity in the country’s exclusive economic zone does not require setting aside the arbitral ruling “and running afoul of the Constitution.” “The exclusive economic zone (EEZ) is part of the arbitral ruling, which we will ignore to come up with an economic activity,” the President said at a press conference Tuesday night at Malacañang.

Romero, A., & Flores, H. (2019, September 12). Rody to 'ignore' SCS ruling for 60-40 deal with China. The Philippine Star, pp. 1, 10.