wThe Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday backed the Department of Justice’s (DoJ) creation of a dedicated maritime law unit designed to serve as a central hub of legal expertise on international law and the 2016 South China Sea arbitral ruling.

In a statement released Thursday, retired Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, special spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), praised the initiative as a critical step in defending national sovereignty.

“While the men and women of the AFP — together with the PCG, BFAR and other partner agencies — maintain our physical presence and patrol our waters, the DoJ’s new maritime law unit provides the critical legal armor we need to sustain our gains,” Trinidad said.

He cited Solicitor General Darlene Berberabe’s assertion that protecting the country’s waters is a whole-of-nation effort.

To recall, the DoJ announced Monday that the specialized unit will centralize legal knowledge regarding the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the landmark 2016 arbitral award that invalidated China’s expansive claims in the South China Sea.

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said during a media interview that the new office will function as an internal maritime law center to ensure consistent legal backing for government policies at sea.

“Actually, to maintain and sustain the gains from the arbitral award, the DoJ now has a dedicated unit for legal services to be a source of expertise on this matter,” Vida said.