Rock Solid: How the Philippines Won its Maritime Case against China

Rock Solid by Marites Vitug, one of the Philippines’ most accomplished

journalists, faithfully establishes the factual context, historical bases and the
actual occurrences that led to the Philippines’ victory over the maritime
dispute in South China Sea. The book contained transcripts and accounts,
written adequately and religiously in conformity with the evidences and data
congregated by scholars. Essentially, it narrates how the Filipino nation, a
small nation with shabby and frail military might won in an international court
won, a first by a South China Sea claimant. Vitug examines that the victory
not only supplied the Filipinos their right to the undisputed vast body of water
rich in resources, but also a sense of national self-esteem.

In the book, Vitug illustrated how Philippines’s humiliating loss in

Scarborough (Bajo de Masinloc) transformed the spirit of the Filipinos; giving
them a sense of patriotism. Through series of tensions between China and the
Philippines, outnumbered and outmaneuvered, the Filipinos had lost
Scarborough.

The tension led to an irreversible damage in the relations between the two
countries, leading to public outcry. Despite these, Vitug illustrated how things
escalated when China publicly declared their unchanging stance that that there
was no dispute over sovereignty on the Scarborough Shoal as it is an integral
part of Chinese territory. As the last Philippine ship left the shoal in 2012, the
President of the Philippines opted to address the dispute diplomatically
through an international tribunal. This depicted bravery and endurance present
in the traditional “Filipino spirit”.

Known as the dispute “that goes to the very heart of UNCLOS itself”, was
Philippines’ final brave act against the China. The former was after a
judgment that China’s nine-dash line was not faithful to the UNCLOS, thus
invalid. As the verdict was out in July 2016, Judges deeply favored the
Philippines claiming that with regards to the environmental issue alone, China
lost overwhelmingly; China was found guilty of violating international
treaties and breaching its obligations when it unlawfully prevented Filipino
fishermen from fishing in the area. They, likewise, harvested endangered
species and corals.

On July 12, 2016, the Philippines’ sweeping and undeniable judicial victory
was declared. Vittug ended the book by elucidating the Philippines’ bold but
brilliant move resulting to a well-deserved victory for the country and its
people. Many called it a “game changer” that had altered the strategies
available to all countries involved in the dispute sought through a legal and
diplomatic way. Philippe Sands called it, “the most significant international
legal case for almost the past 20 years since the Pinochet case”.

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The work is a reminder that the Filipinos, intimated and harassed by a greater
power, can rightfully assert their sovereignty over the disputed land; an
essential tool in winning the maritime dispute. Efforts made by Filipino top
diplomats and government officials are not only remarkable, but also
inspiring. It is the duty of every Filipino, thus, to rightfully assert, protect and
preserve their sovereign rights in the West Philippine Sea.