Marcos reaffirms ‘territorial rights,’ says PH will respond 

PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday reaffirmed that the Philippines will continue to defend its “territorial sovereignty, our territorial rights” and said that the government will respond but did not disclose “operational details.”

“Now, once again, we have received the news that now, the nine-dash line has been extended to the 10-dash line. We have to respond to all of these and we will,” the President said during a media interview here, after China released a “new” map, claiming the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea.

The President said the Philippines will continue to defend “our territorial sovereignty, our territorial rights,” adding, “These are operational details that I would prefer not to talk about.”

Marcos said the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) gives the Philippines solid ground in terms of maritime territory claims against “changing” approach by other countries, such as China's 10-dash line.

“Of course, we'll continue to defend our territorial sovereignty, our territorial rights. We have not changed our approach. It is other countries around us that have changed their approach,” Marcos said.

“We have stayed true to the rules-based international law, especially the UNCLOS. That I think puts us on very solid ground in terms of our claims for territorial sovereignty, for maritime territory. And this has been validated and supported by many, many countries around the world. And I think we need to strengthen that. That again is a very big help to the Philippines in continuing to defend our maritime borders,” he added.