West PH Sea: DFA cites Treaty of Paris to assert PH territorial rights

INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday countered disinformation from pro-China groups and personalities about the Philippines’ territorial sovereignty, noting that the Kalayaan Island Group and Panatag Shoal have long been part of Philippine jurisdiction as stipulated in the Treaty of Paris and other colonial-era agreements.

While not naming them outright, the DFA flagged “some countries” that are “intentionally misread[ing] certain treaties,” specifically the 1898 Treaty of Paris, which forms the basis for the extent of the Philippines’ territorial waters.

The department noted that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. himself has referred to the 1989 agreement as well as the 1900 Treaty of Washington in his public speeches, including during the Shangri-la Dialogue in 2024: “The Treaty of Paris between Spain and the United States crystallized our islands into a cohesive whole. The Treaty of Washington clarified that the extent of our sovereignty and our patrimony transcends the lines set by international powers.”

READ: November 1898, waiting for the conclusion of the Treaty of Paris

“The treaties–along with other agreements, including the 1930 United States-Great Britain Treaty–clearly and firmly state the extent of Philippine territory as well as their meaning derived from the concrete and consistent demonstrations of sovereign authority and jurisdiction exercised by the Philippines over its territory through the centuries,” DFA added.

Aside from the international frameworks, the past and present Philippine Constitutions remain “clear on the legal bases and extent of the Philippine national territory.”

DFA vowed to keep watch on “attempts to misinform the general public” as it continues to assert the Philippines’ territorial integrity and rights in compliance with international laws.

READ: Marcos citing historical treaties boosts PH territorial claims—Carpio

Last week, Commodore Jay Tarriela, the Philippine Coast Guard’s spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, also criticized the “pro-China propagandists” who supposedly use the Treaty of Paris to limit Philippine territory to a “box.”

“Relying exclusively on the Treaty of Paris to limit the Philippines’ territorial rights misrepresents both history and law. Successive treaties, modern international legal frameworks, and colonial cartographic evidence all demonstrate that Philippine sovereignty extends well beyond the narrow interpretation advanced by those who seek to marginalize Filipino rights and interests, and dismantle the rules-based international order,” he said in a Facebook post. /dl