RSIS Seminar by Justice Antonio T. Carpio, Senior Associate Justice, Supreme Court of the Philippines

Lecture Abstract:

The Lecture of Justice Carpio will tackle issues relating to the South China Sea dispute including its scope, the nature of the arbitration case filed by the Philippines against China before an arbitral panel under UNCLOS, and the legal questions raised by the Philippines in the arbitration case. Using documents authored by Chinese and non-Chinese authorities, official Chinese pronouncements, and Chinese cultural tradition, the lecture will assess the merit of China’s claim of sovereignty over the waters and geologic features in the South China Sea within its nine-dashed lines, specifically Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal, taking into account the Philippines Constitution, UNCLOS and international law. In traversing these issues, the lecture will discuss relevant policy considerations from the Philippine and Chinese perspectives.

About the Speaker:

Born in Davao City, Philippines, Justice Antonio T. Carpio was sworn in as member of the Supreme Court on October 26, 2001.

Justice Carpio obtained his law degree from the College of Law of the University of the Philippines where he graduated valedictorian and cum laude in 1975. He placed sixth in the 1975 Bar Examinations. He earned his undergraduate degree in Economics from Ateneo de Manila University in 1970. In his student days, Justice Carpio was Chairman of the Editorial Board of the Philippine Law Journal of the U.P. College of Law. He was Editor-in-Chief of The Guidon, the school paper of Ateneo de Manila University. He also served as Managing Editor of the Philippine Collegian, the school paper of the University of the Philippines.

Fresh out of law school, Justice Carpio went into private practice and founded the Carpio Villaraza and Cruz Law firm. He was a Professorial Lecturer of the U.P. College of Law from 1983 until 1992 when he was appointed Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, Office of the President of the Philippines.

Justice Carpio was a member of the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines from 1993 to 1998. He was a member of the Technology Transfer Board of the Department of Industry from 1978 to 1979. He served as Special Representative of the Department of Trade for textile negotiations from 1980 to 1981. He was elected President of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Pasay-Makati Chapter (1985-1986), Director of the U.P. Law Alumni Association (1984-1989), and Director of the Philippine Bar Association (1989-1990).

For his “distinguished and exemplary service” to the Republic, Justice Carpio was awarded in 1998 the Presidential Medal of Merit by then President Fidel Ramos. In 1991, Justice Carpio received the Outstanding Achievement Award in Law from the Ateneo de Manila Alumni Association. In 2002, he was also the recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Ateneo de Davao Alumni Association. In 2009, he was conferred a Doctorate of Laws, honoris causa, by the Ateneo de Davao University.

Justice Carpio is the Chairperson of the Supreme Court’s Second Division and Chairperson of the Senate Electoral Tribunal.

Organised by RSIS Events Unit.