Rock Solid

How the Philippines Won Its Maritime Case Against China

By

Marites Dangulian Vitug

Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press,

2018. 361 pages.

Reviewed by

International Law

POLI-SCIE 414

S-lenn Laran

Father Saturnino Urios University

March 10, 2023

 The book of Marites Vitug titled “Rock Solid: How the Philippines

Won Its Maritime Case against China” is as rock solid as its title. The

book comprehensively laid out the Philippines’ historic legal victory

against China over the dispute of South China Sea. The author-

journalist, Vitug, used various narratives such as the sequence of

events, the transcripts of arbitral hearings and documents of

interviews under the maritime case against China. The author took its

readers in a upheaval of emotions of anger, compassion and hope.

This book tells a story of how the Philippines have took courage and

mustered the strength to go against the aggression of China.

The author provides a compelling account of how the Philippines

won the maritime case through in-depth research that takes readers

back at era of Marcos when the first ruling to occupy parts of Spratly

Islands was released. The first part of the book looks at the the history

of dispute that can be traced back to 1968 and how the China’s

approach to the claims in South China Sea has been consistent while

the changing of administrations and key actors in the Philippines have

taken very different approaches to this case. The cordial for good

relations with the Philippines and the international law did not impact

the stern approach of China. Moreover, in this part of the book

effectively showed how the administrations before President Ninoy

Aquino took the softer approach to create a beneficial relations with

China as the most powerful country in Asia. President Arroyo showed

the desire for beneficial relations with China in which resort to taking

the softer approach to the dispute; President Ramos, on the other

hand, opposed to the planned navy mission of the Philippines to the

Scarborough Shoal as the former president was eager to gain China’s

support which can serve his personal interest as well.

The second part of the book elaborated the factors the Philippines

could use to bolster its stand and position against China; United

States alliance, membership in ASEAN, and the United Nations

Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). However, these factors

did not influence any act to the dispute against China as their efforts

to discuss the matter have offer limited benefit to the Philippines that

the country could not take advantage of. In addition to this, it denoted

that the alliance between Philippines and United States was not

beneficial to the dispute over China. These situations resulted that

Philippines during their 2013 filing of the case against China states

that they are down to their last and only resort.

The author provided proper and extensive recognition on the main

actors over this maritime case in the third part of the book. President

Ninoy Aquino together with Justice Carpio, Foreign Secretary del

Rosario and an Paul Reichler were the pre-eminent movers of the

Philippine case. The vital actors with their strong moral and legal

principles led to a decision on filing the maritime case and face China

head on. It was also included the as the Philippines decided to face

China headstrong. However, they didn’t forget that China could not

easily lose as they are aware of the strong cognitive barrier that has

long protected their country, and thus was skeptical with the ongoing

case. However, the vital actors were determined to pursue the case,
the marshaling and the collection of historical maps resulted for the

Philippines to won the case.

The insights on how the Philippines fought and constructed their

stand and argued their points in which they were the victor on the

ground-breaking case was provided in the fourth part of the book.

Victor highlighted the affirmation on her notes the the law of the sea

against the maritime case of South China Sea is the Philippines’

anchor and at the same time the country’s weapon against China.

Moreover, it was also highlighted on this part on how the legal team of

the Philippines used China’s statements about the dispute against

them which strengthen the argument of the Philippines’ claims.

Rock Solid is a book that amplifies the Philippines’ victory against

China over the maritime case of South China Sea. It tells an important

history about Philippines’ politics and its relations with foreign

countries. The author wanted to extended the message that we must

convince ourselves that our country had the power to win against a

megapower country such as China as it took decades to stand up

against China. For citizens who claims to love the Philippines and its

people, Vitug’s ‘Rock Solid’ is a must-read. Although, there are part

where it can be unpleasant to read due to how China is portrayed as

being aggressive, how it destroys the marine environment, and how

helpless our own people were against them, it nonetheless finishes on

a cautiously optimistic note. Moreover, the author emphasized that

the answer to the pursuance of this dispute was the urgent need for

good leaders free of self-interest and strategic thinking on the

Philippines side in which was provided by the main actors in which

laid out the way to achieve the victory of this dispute. Winning this

maritime case is our first step towards development and must accept

that we won and thus celebrate our victory as citizens of the

Philippines.