By Perfecto T. Raymundo
MANILA, June 9 (PNA) — The International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) may decide in the early part of 2016 on the merit of the case filed by the Philippines against China in connection with the West Philippine Sea.
This was stated by Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio in his tour to Europe for a series of lectures on the issue of territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea.
According to Carpio, an oral argument will be conducted in July this year on the question of jurisdiction of the ITLOS over the said case and it is expected that it will be decided upon in August or September.
Once the ITLOS decides that the Philippines have jurisdiction over the case, Carpio said, another hearing will be conducted in November and the ITLOS is expected to come out with its decision in the early part of 2016. (PNA)