MANILA, Philippines — Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio prefers to ignore President Rodrigo Duterte’s rants and name-calling directed at him in connection with the West Philippine Sea.

Carpio has been championing the country’s resolve to take sole control of the West Philippine Sea. The magistrate played a great part in the country’s victory in the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated China’s massive claim in the South China Sea.

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The landmark decision rejected China’s argument that it had sovereign and historic rights over the disputed sea region located within its so-called nine-dashed line.

In a recent speech, the President called Carpio “buang” — that is, crazy — after the magistrate said that allowing China to fish in the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) was against the Constitution.

“Napaka-istupido mo. That is why hanggang diyan ka lang talaga,” the President said.

[You’re really stupid. That is why that’s just how far you will go.]

Sought for his reaction, Carpio said it was “not worth a comment.”

Carpio has been the subject of the President’s rants several times.

The first time the President cursed at Carpio, the magistrate said: “Being called names is just too minor.”

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