Vice President Leni Robredo praised President Duterte for raising the country’s historic legal victory against China over the South China Sea, but she hoped he will stand by what he said before the United Nations General Assembly.

Speaking on her Sunday radio show, Robredo said she has been waiting for a long time for Duterte to invoke the 2016 The Hague arbitral ruling.

“Ang ganda noong speech in the sense na ang pinaka-paborito ko talaga doon iyong tungkol sa South China Sea,“ Robredo, a leader of the opposition, noted.

“Since 2016, iyong statement na hinihintay natin, hinihintay natin na mag make ng statement iyong Pangulo na iyong ruling is a part of international law already. Hindi siya puwedeng maging subject of compromise. Hindi siya puwedeng maging subject of negotiation,” she said.

Duterte spoke before the UN General Assembly last week and he raised the arbitral ruling during his speech that drew praises even from his critics.

In July, 2016, the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines after it nullified China’s nine-dash claim over the South China Sea. 

Beijing, however, refused to recognize the tribunal’s decision and pressed ahead with its controversial reclamation works in the disputed territory. 

Now that Duterte has asserted the country’s landmark victory over China, Robredo said she hoped Duterte’s words would soon be translated to actions because it would protect the country’s sovereignty.

“Iyong hinihintay natin, finally nasabi na. So ang hihintayin natin ulit, kung paano papanindigan iyong sinabi,” Robredo said.

”Sana after this speech ay umiba na. Sana after this speech, ang priority na natin iyong bansa natin,” she added.