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.
