Senatorial aspirant and former Interior Secretary Benhur Abalos Jr. lauded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s signing of two historic and landmark measures—the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act.
These laws, Abalos said, reinforce the country’s sovereignty over its maritime zones and archipelagic waters.
“Through these laws, the government will be able to monitor the movement of foreign vessels and aircraft,” said Abalos, a lawyer by profession.
He said the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act establishes a system of archipelagic sea lanes and air routes through which foreign vessels and aircraft shall exercise the right of archipelagic sea lanes passage.
Abalos said the two laws are critical, particularly in the light of repeated incidents where Chinese vessels disrespected the Philippines’ territorial boundaries.
He cited past incidents such as the one in March when Chinese fishing boats were spotted within the country’s exclusive economic zone.
“These new laws will clearly define and strengthen our jurisdiction and our sovereign rights over our territorial water and the airspace over it ,” Abalos said.
Abalos earlier condemned a recent incident involving a Chinese maritime militia vessel that attempted to block the path of a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources ship near Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea on October 11.
Abalos, who is running for senator under the Alyansa Para sa Bagong Pilipinas, also rallied Filipinos to stand united behind President Marcos’ firm stance on the West Philippine Sea issue.
“Let’s support our President in his efforts for China to respect us as a nation and the 2016 tribunal ruling that invalidated China’s sweeping claims over the West Philippine Sea,” he said.
