Bumuwelta ang Malacañang kay Supreme Court (SC) Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio na mistulang naaaliw sa paghahanap ng mali sa lahat ng pahayag ni Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte kahit pa wala.
Reaksyon ito ni Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo sa pinakabagong banat ni Justice Carpio na walang otoridad si Pangulong Duterte na isantabi ang Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling para matuloy ang joint exploration ng Pilipinas at China sa exclusive economic zone ng bansa sa West Philippine Sea.
Sinabi ni Sec. Panelo, kung maalala, mismong si Justice Carpio ang nagsabing wala siyang tutol sa joint exploration sa West Philippine Sea at ang 60-40 sharing ay isang magandang simula.
Ayon kay Sec. Panelo, hindi kailanman inabandona, inaabandona ni Pangulong Duterte kahit sa hinaharap ang arbitral ruling na “final, binding, unappealable” at “forever” o permanente na gaya ng pagsikat ng araw sa silangan.
Kasabay nito, tiniyak ni Sec. Panelo kay Justice Carpio na patuloy ang paghahanap ni Pangulong Duterte ng paraan para maresolba ang territorial dispute at hindi ito kailanman magwe-waive ng anumang karapatan o magbibigay ng consent na magpapahina sa claim ng Pilipinas sa mga inaangking teritoryo laban sa China.
“As for Justice Antonio Carpio, he appears to relish in finding fault in what the President says even if there is none. We recall, however, that it was Justice Carpio himself who said that he has no objections if we pursue a joint exploration with China in the West Philippine Sea, stating that “the proposal of 60–40 in our favor would be a good start” and admitting that, “despite everything, [PRRD] might be the President who will find the solution to the South China Sea dispute,” ani Sec. Panelo.
“The good Justice can rest assured that the President is always finding ways to resolve the dispute and will not waive any right nor give any consent that will undermine our sovereign claims in the process.”
