Philippines Ambassador to India, Josel F Ignacio, said on Wednesday, 22 July that the rule of law is under 'great challenge' in the South China Sea, warning that Manila's legitimate maritime entitlements face daily assault despite a binding international tribunal ruling. Speaking in New Delhi, Ignacio reaffirmed the Philippines' commitment to a peaceful, law-based resolution of the dispute.

The Core Grievance

'The South China Sea has been a challenging area for several years,' Ignacio said. 'The aspiration for us as the Philippines and for ASEAN and I'm sure for many other countries is that oceans — including the South China Sea — should be areas where prosperity and peace and security should reign. But the realities right now is that unfortunately in the South China Sea, rule of law is under great challenge.'

The ambassador pointed specifically to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), noting it is unambiguous about the maritime entitlements of coastal states. He stressed that the Philippines' rights were further confirmed by the Arbitral Tribunal ruling of 2016, which Manila views as legally binding. 'We continue to be challenged illegally and without legitimate basis in those waters where our legitimate maritime entitlements and our sovereignty is day to day under assault,' he said.

China's Nine-Dash Line and UNCLOS

Ignacio directly challenged China's assertion of historic rights through the so-called nine or ten-dash line, arguing those claims were extinguished by UNCLOS — a treaty to which China itself is a signatory. 'What states have now are entitlements defined by UNCLOS — a 12 nautical mile territorial sea, a 12 nautical mile contiguous zone, a 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and so on,' he explained. 'In the Philippines' case, that has been affirmed by the Arbitral Tribunal.'

He added that the specific incidents recently in the news concern a 'low tide elevation' — a geographic feature that, under international law and UNCLOS, is not subject to any sovereignty claim. 'A foreign coast guard has no business being there because that's entirely well within Philippine EEZ,' he said.

Second Thomas Shoal Incident

Ignacio's remarks came a day after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) dismissed allegations by the China Coast Guard (CCG) that Philippine boats had deliberately rammed one of its patrol vessels near the Second Thomas Shoal. The AFP described those claims as 'false and misleading.'

The AFP also raised concerns over a China Coast Guard Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat (RHIB) operating in close proximity to the BRP Sierra Madre, calling its presence 'an unlawful intrusion into an area where the Philippines exercises sovereign rights under international law.'

Manila's Diplomatic Stance

Despite the escalating incidents, Ignacio underlined that the Philippines remains committed to dialogue and peaceful resolution. 'The Philippines, we are resolved to seek a peaceful dispute resolution based on the rule of law, and that has always been our priority,' he said. This position aligns broadly with ASEAN's longstanding preference for a rules-based maritime order, even as individual member states vary in how directly they confront Beijing. The ambassador's remarks in New Delhi signal that Manila is actively internationalising the dispute — including by engaging key partners such as India — to build broader diplomatic support for its legal position.