MANILA, Philippines — After President Rodrigo Duterte backed out from the debate on the West Philippine Sea issue, Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said it would be “pointless to debate about Scarborough Shoal and Mischief Reef.”
Duterte has designated Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. to face Caprio in the debate. During a press conference on Friday (Mary 7), Roque has laid out topics to be discussed during the debate after announcing the President will no longer participate in the challenge.
“I accepted the President’s challenge without any conditions. Now the President has backed out of his personal challenge to me without giving a definite reason. Instead, he has designated his spokesperson Harry Roque to debate with me on the issue of what administration lost Scarborough Shoal and Mischief Reef to China,” Carpio said in a statement.
Carpio said there is no factual dispute that China seized Scarborough Shoal from the Philippines during the Aquino Administration. There is also no factual dispute that China seized Mischief Reef from the Philippines during the Ramos Administration.
“Hence, it is pointless to debate about Scarborough Shoal and Mischief Reef. I will not engage in a useless exercise that will only detract the public’s interest on the vital outstanding issues on the West Philippines Sea, like the President’s continuing false claim that ‘China is in possession of the West Philippine Sea,’” he said.
“I am ready to debate with the President or with anyone he may designate on the factual accuracy and adverse legal implications to the Philippines of the President’s repeated claim that ‘China is in possession of the West Philippine Sea,’” he added. AAC (with reports from Nel Maribojoc)
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