An independent policy think tank has warned that the Philippines must reject any South China Sea Code of Conduct (COC) that dilutes the 2016 arbitral ruling, cautioning that a weak agreement would erode the nation’s sovereign rights and damage the rules-based global order.
During a forum in Makati City on Friday, July 10, Stratbase Institute President Dindo Manhit pressed Philippine negotiators to maintain the historic arbitral victory as the non-negotiable legal cornerstone of the proposed regional maritime code.
The symposium, titled “A Decade of the Arbitral Award: Credible Deterrence in Defense of the West Philippine Sea,” was organized to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the landmark ruling.
“If today leaves us with one piece of unfinished business, it is this: the Award must be reflected in the ongoing negotiations for a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea,” Manhit said.
“Our negotiators must have a clear mandate. Any Code of Conduct must uphold the Arbitral Award as the legal baseline, not treat it as a point for negotiation,” he added.
Manhit highlighted that Manila’s current position as the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) gives the government a strategic opening to advocate for a COC that firmly embeds the legal authority of the arbitral decision.
While the Philippine government intends to finalize a substantive and legally binding pact during its 2026 ASEAN chairmanship, Manhit warned against prioritizing speed over substance.
“Advancing these negotiations is important. But rushing into an agreement that undermines international law and disregards the legally binding 2016 Arbitral Award would compromise the sovereign rights and maritime entitlements of states, and weaken the very peace and stability the Code of Conduct is meant to protect,” he said.
The gathering featured a roster of security experts, defense officials, and foreign diplomats marking the July 12, 2016 decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. The international tribunal comprehensively invalidated China’s expansive maritime claims and reaffirmed Manila’s rights within the West Philippine Sea under international law.