MANILA — The Philippines could pursue another arbitration case before a United Nations tribunal to push for the establishment of a “common fishing ground” in Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said Wednesday.

Speaking at a Konrad Adenauer Stiftung–We Protect Our Seas (WPS) forum in Pasay City, Carpio said the move is among several legal options that could reinforce the 2016 Arbitral Award, which will mark its 10th anniversary on July 12.

“The next (step) is you should go to the arbitral tribunal to ask the tribunal to establish a common fishing ground on Scarborough Shoal,” he said in his presentation.

“Our fishermen cannot go there anymore, we have to establish a fishing ground and remind the world that that is a common fishing ground, and the fisherfolk can go there anytime,” he added.

Carpio said filing a new case could also prevent any move by China to establish a monitoring station at the disputed feature, particularly following reports of a plan to designate it as a “national nature reserve.”

“We cannot rest on this arbitral award alone, we have to fortify with more arbitral awards, because that’s the only weapon we have,” Carpio said.

The 2016 ruling of the UN Arbitral Tribunal declared Scarborough Shoal a traditional fishing ground used by multiple nationalities, including Filipinos, Chinese (including Taiwanese), and Vietnamese fishers.

It also found that China’s deployment of official vessels in the area starting in May 2012 unlawfully prevented Filipino fisherfolk from accessing their traditional fishing grounds.