HOUSE Speaker Martin Romualdez told an international security forum in Madrid that the Philippines will defend its maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea through legal channels and international alliances.
Addressing lawmakers from more than 40 countries at the 29th Parliamentary Intelligence-Security Forum, Romualdez said the Philippines stands by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea.
“The Philippines remains committed to upholding international law,” he said, adding that attempts to undermine Philippine sovereignty through force or disinformation will not go unanswered.
His remarks come days after a China Coast Guard ship reportedly struck a Philippine fisheries vessel and used a water cannon near Sandy Cay, close to Pag-asa Island. It is the latest in a series of incidents involving aggressive Chinese maneuvers against Philippine vessels, which Manila and many of its allies have condemned as violations of international norms.
“These are not isolated events,” Romualdez said. “This is about more than one country. It’s about whether international law still holds weight.”
While reaffirming that Manila is pursuing a peaceful and rules-based approach, Romualdez accused Beijing of using coercive tactics—including cyber campaigns and disinformation—to push its maritime agenda.
He also urged fellow democracies to take a stronger stance, warning that challenges in the West Philippine Sea reflect broader global risks: from unregulated technology and cyber threats to the weakening of rule-based systems.
Romualdez tied maritime security to global stability, framing the Philippines’ position as part of a wider struggle to maintain a rules-based order amid rising geopolitical friction.
The forum, hosted by the Spanish Senate and led by former US Congressman Robert Pittenger, focused on global intelligence sharing and collaborative responses to emerging threats. The event follows a similar forum held earlier this year in Manila.
While the Speaker’s speech aimed to strengthen diplomatic alliances, it also reinforced the Philippines’ public messaging: it will not back down, but it won’t seek confrontation either. The real test, as Romualdez framed it, is whether international law can hold the line.