This detailed map, depicting the Philippines' territories under Spanish rule, including Scarborough Shoal and the Spratlys, was presented by retired Supreme Court Justice Antonio Carpio during a courtesy visit on August 14th.
Carpio, a key member of the legal team that secured the 2016 arbitral ruling invalidating China's nine-dash line claim in the South China Sea, emphasized the map's historical significance. The 1875 map, considered the most comprehensive and detailed official map of the Philippines during the Spanish era, was originally published in Madrid by the Spanish government's charting office, Direccion Hydrografia.
Created under the supervision of Captain Claudio Montero, the first head of the Philippine Hydrographic Commission, the 1875 map incorporated minor corrections from an earlier 1808 version. Notably, it included depth soundings for numerous islands, including Scarborough Shoal and the Spratlys.
The United States adopted and reissued this map four times as the official map of the Philippines during its colonial rule. In the famous 1928 Islas Palmas arbitration case, the United States cited the 1875 map as both an American and Spanish official document.
The 1808 and 1875 maps, along with the earlier Murillo Velarde 1734 map, played a crucial role in the Philippines' arbitration case against China, providing evidence that features like Scarborough and Spratlys are integral parts of Philippine territory.
The public will soon have the opportunity to view the original Murillo Velarde 1734 Map, which will be on display at the Permanent Gallery of the National Library of the Philippines in Manila later this month.
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