China’s acceptance or rejection of arbitral ruling irrelevant – Palace

MANILA — Whether or not Beijing accepts the July 2012 ruling of a United Nations-back tribunal on the South China Sea is immaterial under international law, Malacañang said yesterday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque stressed that the international tribunal had already invalidated China's historic claims to the contested waters and that their artificial islands were located within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

"What is material under international law is it’s there... That’s the unique feature of international law. You cannot deny what is there," Roque said in a televised press briefing. The Philippines has declined to press China on the decision, preferring instead to focus on other aspects of ties between the two nations.

Roque made the statement in response to Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, who said that the Philippines should reject China's request to conduct marine research in Benham Rise, which is now officially called Philippine Rise.

In a statement sent to CNN Philippines, Carpio said that the Philippines would be "dumb" to grant China's request following its refusal to accept its obligation under the arbitral award.

Duterte's spokesman, on the other hand, said that there is a difference between international law and domestic law.