SC gives way to gov’t case vs China, resets Torre de Manila debate

THE Supreme Court on Tuesday granted the request of Solicitor-General Florin Hilbay to reset the oral argument on the Torre de Manila controversy to give way for the government’s case against China in The Netherlands.

High Court’s Information Chief Atty. Theodore Te said the oral argument is rescheduled for July 21, 2015.

“The Court granted the Solicitor General’s manifestation and motion to rest oral arguments to July 21, 2015, Tuesday, at 2 p.m. at the Session Hall of the Supreme Court,” Te said at a press conference.

Hilbay in his motion said they need to reschedule the oral argument because they are preparing to defend the Philippine’s case in a hearing set from July 7 to 13 at the Peace Palace in The Hague, The Netherlands.

“As agent of the Republic in the arbitration, the Solicitor General shall lead the Philippine delegation in these crucial hearings involving the jurisdiction and admissibility of the Republic’s claims before an ad hoc arbitral tribunal of the Permanent Court of Arbitration,” Hilbay said.

As the Solicitor General, Hilbay is the country’s legal representative in the Netherlands’ proceedings while the legal counsel is Paul Reichley of Foley and Hoag LLP.

The hearing next month will address the objections to jurisdiction set out in China’s Position Paper. The Arbitral Tribunal will also consider other matters concerning its jurisdiction and the admissibility of the Philippines’ claims.

The Philippines took China to the arbitral tribunal in January 2013 as it challenged the legality of the latter’s nine dash line claim over nearly the entire South China Sea, including areas included in the country’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone.