DoJ Establishes Maritime Law Unit to Bolster Arbitral Award Gains

The Department of Justice (DoJ) on Monday said it has established a dedicated maritime law unit to consolidate legal expertise on maritime issues and help sustain the Philippines’ gains from the landmark 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling. Justice Secretary Fredderick A. Vida said the unit, which operates under the DoJ’s Legal Services, would serve as the department’s central repository of expertise on maritime law. “To maintain and sustain the gains from the arbitral award, the DoJ now has a dedicated unit under our Legal Services that serves as a source of expertise on this matter,” he told reporters in mixed English and Filipino. Mr. Vida noted that the 2016 arbitral award affirmed the Philippines’ position in protecting Filipino fisherfolk but stressed that the ruling “is not self-executing.” “We have to fight for our rights,” he said. He added that the arbitral ruling continues to guide the country’s approach to maritime disputes, adding that the Philippine government chose to uphold the rule of law rather than engage in conflict. “The significance of this decision is not only for our generation, but even more so for future generations,” he said. “The Philippine government chose to turn to, and abide by, the rule of law instead of engaging in conflict. In the end, it showed that what remains strongest is the rule of law.” The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled on July 12, 2016 that China’s expansive “nine-dash line” claim in the South China Sea had no legal basis under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. China has rejected the ruling, while the Philippines has repeatedly cited the award in asserting its maritime rights in the disputed waters. — Mark Joseph M. Sanchez