Former Supreme Court Justice Francis Jardeleza has emphasized the urgency for the Philippine government to initiate legal action against China for environmental damage in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) before the approaching 2025 midterm elections overshadow the issue. Speaking at Silliman University’s 111th Commencement Exercises, Jardeleza expressed confidence in President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration to safeguard the country’s territory, highlighting the President’s pivotal role in shaping foreign policy.

Jardeleza commended the President’s efforts in strengthening alliances with countries like the United States, ASEAN members, and European nations but stressed the necessity of pursuing legal action against China due to escalating aggression. As a former Solicitor General and head of the Philippine legal team in the South China Sea arbitration, Jardeleza urged the university’s students and faculty to support the call for an environmental damage lawsuit against China, citing the institution’s potential contribution through its researchers and environmental experts.

By pursuing such legal action, Jardeleza argued that the Philippines could seek substantial compensation to bolster efforts in protecting the West Philippine Sea. He highlighted the irreversible damage caused by China’s encroachment on the country’s exclusive economic zone, which has devastated marine life and affected the livelihoods of Filipinos dependent on the area. Notably, he referenced the National Security Council’s challenge to China to allow third-party inspections of Scarborough Shoal amid reports of environmental destruction and the Philippine Coast Guard’s documentation of illegal harvesting of endangered species by Chinese entities since 2016.