DFA upholds Duterte's UN stance on South China Sea ruling

The DFA stated on Friday that it will implement President Rodrigo Duterte's policy statement made before the UN General Assembly regarding the 2016 arbitral award in the South China Sea.

Duterte previously asserted that the ruling is 'beyond compromise and beyond the reach of passing governments to dilute, diminish or abandon,' despite his friendly relations with China.

The DFA emphasized that Duterte's statement at the UN stands as the supreme expression of foreign policy on the West Philippine Sea issue and will continue to implement it in accordance with national interest.