SEN. Rodante Marcoleta on Thursday welcomed the decision of retired associate justice Antonio Carpio to accept his challenge to debate the West Philippine Sea issue, but balked at his proposed two-part structure that would focus the discussion on specific legal and geographic questions. Marcoleta, who recently proposed ceding the Kalayaan Island Group, which is a part of Palawan province, to China, said limiting the scope of the exchange could unduly narrow what he described as a “complex, contested and far-reaching” issue. “The West Philippine Sea issue cannot be reduced to a binary legal inquiry on terminology or geographic inclusion,” he said. “This risks pre-framing the debate in favor of a particular narrative rather than enabling a genuine examination of all relevant discussions.” Marcoleta said the maritime dispute between the Philippines and China involves not only legal arguments but also historical claims, geopolitical dynamics and policy considerations affecting national sovereignty and regional stability. The West Philippine Sea refers to portions of the South China Sea within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, including areas near the Kalayaan Island Group and Scarborough Shoal. Tensions have persisted for years amid overlapping territorial claims by China and several Southeast Asian nations. In 2016, an international arbitral tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines, invalidating China’s expansive “nine-dash line” claim, an award that Carpio has consistently defended and publicly advocated. Carpio is regarded as one of the primary legal architects and most tireless advocates behind the Philippines’ victory at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague. He was a member of the Philippine delegation to The Hague and provided critical legal expertise and guidance to the team led by then-Solicitor General Florin Hilbay and international counsel Paul Reichler. As of press time, details regarding the date, venue and format of the proposed debate have not yet been finalized. Observers say the exchange between the veteran jurist and the sitting senator could draw significant public interest, given the continuing national debate over how the Philippines should assert its rights in the contested waters. The anticipated discussion comes amid renewed tensions in the West Philippine Sea, where recent encounters between Philippine and Chinese vessels have once again brought maritime sovereignty and foreign policy to the forefront of national discourse.