Philippine Military Alumni Group Reaffirms Sovereignty Claims in West Philippine Sea
MANILA — A powerful statement issued on February 10 by the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association, Inc. has added institutional weight to the Philippines’ long-standing assertion of sovereignty and sovereign rights over the Kalayaan Island Group and its surrounding maritime zones in the West Philippine Sea, reinforcing the country’s legal position amid escalating regional tensions and competing narratives.
The declaration, formally endorsed and amplified by the Armed Forces of the Philippines, presents a unified front among the country’s military establishment—active and retired alike—at a time when the waters west of the archipelago have become a focal point of geopolitical friction.
In the statement, the alumni association unequivocally affirmed that the Philippines’ claims over the Kalayaan Island Group, a cluster of features within the Spratly Islands, are grounded in both Philippine domestic law and international legal frameworks, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. The group rejected what it described as “unlawful or coercive claims,” underscoring that such assertions carry no legal standing under international law.
At the heart of the declaration is a renewed emphasis on the landmark 2016 arbitral ruling in The Hague, which invalidated expansive maritime claims inconsistent with UNCLOS and affirmed the Philippines’ maritime entitlements. The ruling, issued by an international tribunal convened under UNCLOS, was described by the PMA Alumni Association as “final and binding,” language that echoes the tribunal’s own characterization of its authority.
“The ruling must be respected,” the statement said, in one of its most direct passages—an assertion that implicitly challenges continued actions in contested waters that the Philippines has repeatedly described as coercive.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines, in amplifying the statement, framed the message as part of a broader effort to counter what it called false narratives and attempts to undermine a rules-based international order. In an accompanying message, the military emphasized its role “on the front line of truth,” portraying legal clarity as a strategic necessity alongside maritime patrols and defense cooperation.
The AFP’s endorsement signals more than symbolic alignment. While the PMA Alumni Association is a private organization, its membership includes retired generals, flag officers, and former defense leaders whose voices still resonate within the country’s security institutions. Their collective stance reinforces continuity in policy across administrations and generations of military leadership.
Beyond legal arguments, the statement offered explicit institutional support for the Philippine government’s frontline agencies tasked with maritime defense. It cited the Department of National Defense, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and the Philippine Coast Guard as central pillars in protecting national territory and maritime rights.
This articulation of unity comes as the Philippines continues to face pressure in its exclusive economic zone, where confrontations involving patrol vessels, resupply missions, and maritime militia have drawn international attention. While the statement avoided naming any country, its language tracked closely with diplomatic protests and official communiqués issued by Manila over the past several years.
The alumni group also called for strict adherence to international law, freedom of navigation, and the peaceful resolution of disputes—principles that align with broader regional and global concerns over stability in one of the world’s most critical sea lanes. Nearly a third of global maritime trade passes through the South China Sea, making its governance a matter of international consequence.
Analysts say the timing of the statement is significant. It coincides with renewed diplomatic messaging from Manila emphasizing alliance-building, transparency, and multilateral engagement as counterweights to unilateral actions in disputed waters. By foregrounding law rather than force, the PMA Alumni Association and the AFP appear to be reinforcing a strategy that seeks legitimacy through international consensus rather than escalation.
The statement closed with a forward-looking note, stressing the responsibility to safeguard maritime resources for future generations. This framing situates the sovereignty debate not only as a matter of territorial integrity but also as an issue of environmental stewardship, food security, and intergenerational equity.
Issued under the name of Cav Ramon T. Punzalan ’76, chairman and chief executive officer of the association, the declaration carries the imprimatur of a constituency deeply tied to the Philippine military’s institutional memory. For many observers, that lends the message added credibility at a time when information warfare and narrative contestation increasingly shape regional disputes.
While the statement does not alter facts on the water, its significance lies in the consolidation of voices behind a consistent legal position. In an era when power is often measured by presence and pressure, the Philippines’ military establishment—past and present—has chosen to reaffirm the primacy of law.
As tensions persist in the West Philippine Sea, such declarations serve as reminders that sovereignty claims are not merely lines on maps, but assertions anchored in legal principle, national consensus, and the enduring belief that rules, not force, should govern the world’s shared spaces. ©️KuryenteNews