MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard reaffirmed that the West Philippine Sea is undisputed Philippine territory under international law and the 2016 Arbitral Award.

In a Facebook post, Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the WPS, said the claim is supported by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, including the Philippine Maritimes Zones Act, further legitimize the country’s claim.

“Subalit kung para sa iyo ito ay walang basehan at ipagdidiinan mo pang ito ay ‘disputed’ parang sinabi mo na ring may point ang ibang bansang umaagaw nito at tila pinagdududuhan mong atin nga ito (But if you still believe the WPS has no basis and it’s still disputed, then it is like saying countries who want to take it have a point and you’re doubting that it is ours),” he said.

The statement came after Senator Rodante Marcoleta on Wednesday referred to officials and maritime experts defending the WPS as “satsat,” a term he later clarified as meaning he believed their statements had no basis, not necessarily with a negative connotation.

In 2016, an arbitral tribunal under Annex VII of UNCLOS ruled largely in favor of the Philippines, invalidating China’s “nine-dash-line” claim as having no legal basis.