UN rep nominee willing to bring up PH arbitral win

The nominee to the post of Philippine permanent representative to the United Nations said he would be willing to bring to the international body the country’s Permanent Court of Arbitration (CA) victory against Beijing’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea.

Speaking before the Commission on Appointments, lawyer Rodolfo Robles, however, acknowledged that such a move would not necessarily produce swift results given how UN processes work.

“This arbitral award is very much in our favor, and I believe there would be nothing wrong in bringing it to the United Nations,” Robles told members of the panel on Wednesday.

“I’m not averse to bringing it over to the United Nations even though it will take a long time to do it,” he added.

Former Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario earlier suggested seeking the United Nations’ help to enforce the decision of the arbitral tribunal, but Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said the Philippines was bound to lose in the United Nations because it was populated by countries beholden to China.

Malacañang also rejected the idea.

Responding to a question from Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato who asked for the administration’s clear-cut policy on the arbitral ruling, Robles said he looked at it from two aspects: validity and enforcement.

“I believe the present administration maintains and continues to maintain the validity of this arbitral award,” Robles said, adding that when it comes to implementation, the government had been “very cautious.”

The CA foreign affairs committee will take up Robles’ nomination anew next week.