The Philippines will submit as an International Tribunal and territorial dispute

between the Philippines and China

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, its goal is to stop China's actions
that are against the country's sovereignty.

The DFA summoned Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing to hand over the note verbale to
inform China that the Philippines will refer the West Philippine Sea issue to the
United Nations Tribunal.

According to Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, the Philippines has
exhausted almost all political and diplomatic avenues to settle the matter in the
West Philippine Sea, so the government has decided to refer it to the Arbitral
Tribunal under Article 7 of the United Nations. Convention on the Laws of the Sea
(UNCLOS).

The note verbale or protest of the Philippines has reached fifteen on China's
alleged violations in claiming territories in the West Philippine Sea.

"The Philippines has exhausted almost all political and diplomatic avenues for a
peaceful negotiated settlement of its maritime dispute with China. On numerous
occasions dating back to 1995, the Philippines has been exchanging views with China
to peacefully settle these disputes. To this day, a solution is still elusive, we
hope that the arbitral proceedings shall bring this dispute to a durable solution."
statement by DFA Secretary Albert del Rosario.

Based on the statement of claim of the Philippines, it maintains that the country
covers the territory of 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone also based on
the declaration of the United Nations on the Laws of the Sea.

Some of what the Philippines is protesting is China's 9 line where it claims too
much in the West Philippine Sea to the point of eating 50 nautical miles of the
Philippines' EEZ so that it has already occupied the Scarborough Shoal even the
Kalayaan Group of Islands

The country also opposes China's construction of structures in its claimed

territories and the establishment of an administrative unit to govern the area.

The Arbitral Tribunal consists of five members.

The Philippines has appointed Judge Rudiger Wolfrum, former president of the
International Tribunal on the Laws of the Sea or ITLOS, as its member while China
is also expected to appoint.

Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza is the legal representative of the Philippines

in the arbitral proceedings.

According to the DFA, it may take three to four years before this matter is
decided.