Romualdez: Defending WPS a test of law vs brute force

MANILA, Philippines — House of Representatives Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said the Philippine government’s incessant defense of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) through the invocation of international laws and accords is a test of whether the rule of law can prevail over brute force.

Romualdez, in his speech before the 29th Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum (PI-SF) in Madrid, Spain — transcripts of which were released on Friday — reiterated that the Philippines remains committed to upholding the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award, which recognizes the country’s exclusive rights to the WPS.

This, Romualdez said, is in the face of continuous threats of aggression from China, especially after a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ship sideswiped and water-cannoned a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) research vessel near Philippine-occupied Pag-asa Island last Wednesday.

“Let me be clear: the Philippines remains steadfast in protecting our rights and entitlements in the West Philippine Sea by upholding international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award,” Romualdez said. “We categorically reject attempts to undermine our sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction through coercion or disinformation.”

“These are not isolated incidents.  This is not just a regional issue.  It is a global test of whether the rule of law will prevail over brute force,” he added.

According to BFAR, this is the first time that a CCG vessel used water cannons on its boats. The boats were only on a routine mission with a team of scientists to collect sand samples at Pag-asa Cay 2 (Sandy Cay).

However, this is not the first time that the CCG has conducted water cannon operations within the WPS.  In August 2023, a CCG vessel water-cannoned Philippine vessels that were trying to bring supplies to soldiers at BRP Sierra Madre, which is beached at Ayungin Shoal.

Ayungin Shoal is well within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

READ: PCG condemns China Coast Guard’s water cannon attack in WPS 

In response to the incident, China claimed that a former administration promised to remove BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin, but the promise has not been acted upon. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. then said that he had not made that agreement, and if such a deal exists, it has already been terminated.

READ: Pact on Ayungin rescinded, if there’s any – Marcos 

Despite these aggressive moves, Romualdez said the Philippines “will never surrender its rights nor fall silent,” noting that the government remains committed to pursuing peace through justice and mutual respect.

“Our approach is anchored on legal clarity, diplomatic dialogue, leveraging partnerships, and the peaceful settlement of disputes.  We will not allow foreign narratives to distort the truth on the ground. Nor will we permit coercive actions to dictate our national destiny,” he said.

“We serve not only as lawmakers but as standard-bearers of the democratic rule of law.  In an age when misinformation, cyberattacks, and technological disruption threaten the very fabric of our societies, the need for vigilance and unity among democracies has never been greater,” the Speaker added.

According to Romualdez, events like the PI-SF allow countries to share intelligence reports while also building solidarity and mutual understanding despite uncertainties brought by territorial disputes.

“Forums like the PI-SF allow us to expand these initiatives globally,” he noted. “Here, we are not merely exchanging intelligence — we are building solidarity, mutual understanding, and the legislative muscle to defend freedom and prosperity in this rapidly shifting world.”

“Let us move forward — united in purpose, resolute in action, and inspired by our common vision of peace, stability, and global cooperation,” he added. /das

(2025/05/23-12:43)