Setting aside or ignoring the 2016 arbitral court ruling on the South China Sea is not the same as abandoning it and relinquishing the country’s sovereign rights over its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Malacañang clarified yesterday. President Duterte revealed earlier this week that China had vowed to adopt a 60-40 sharing scheme favoring the Philippines in the proposed joint development of resources in the West Philippine Sea in exchange for setting aside the 2016 landmark ruling. Duterte, reviled by critics for cozying up to China especially on the West Philippine Sea row, said on Wednesday that the arbitral ruling on the EEZ would be “ignored” so that China could help the Philippines spur “economic activity” in the country’s EEZ.

Romero, A., Mateo, J., & Cervantes, D. (2019, September 13). Palace: Phl not dropping claims, arbitral victory. The Philippine Star, pp. 1, 10.