Manila, July 16 -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Thursday expressed its appreciation to the Department of Justice (DOJ) for creating a dedicated maritime law unit that will serve as "a central repository of legal expertise on the 2016 Arbitral Award and international maritime law."

In a message to the Philippine News Agency (PNA), AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Navy reservist Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the military expresses its full support for the project.

"As Solicitor General Darlene Berberabe recently mentioned, 'no single institution protects the West Philippine Sea alone.' Defending our national sovereignty and sovereign rights is a whole-of-nation endeavor," he said.

And while the AFP a...