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Friday, March 29, 2024

Leaving on a jetski? Duterte sets visit to Philippine rise

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PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will visit Philippine Rise from May 15 to 16, to assert the country’s territorial ownership of the vast continental shelf and to mark its renaming from Benham Rise, the Palace said Tuesday.

Presidential Spokeman Harry Roque said the visit will also mark the beginning of the scientific research to be conducted by around 50 Filipino scientists.

Roque said the scientists would accompany the President and would conduct scientific research on the 13-million hectare undersea region that lies east of Luzon.

The President signed Executive Order 25, changing the name of Benham Rise to Philippine Rise, in a bid to assert the Philippines’ “sovereign rights and jurisdiction” over the area, Roque aid.

The undersea region is believed to have vast natural natural gas reserves and other resources like heavy metals.

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The United Nations Commission on the Limits of Continental Shelf approved on April 12, 2012 the Philippines’ undisputed claim to the Philippine Rise by declaring the underwater plateau as part of the country’s extended continental shelf and territory.

The UN ruling gives the Philippines the sole right to explore and exploit resources in the Philippine Rise.

Earlier, the President warned other nations that he would go to war if they conducted “unauthorized” maritime scientific research in the undersea region.

Also on Tuesday, the Palace said the Philippines is exploring all diplomatic options to deal with China’s move of installing missiles in several reefs in the Spratlys that are claimed by the Philippines.

Roque noted that the previous administration and the United States did not act when China began its reclamation activities in the disputed territories years ago.

The Palace official said the fact that the current government is not publicizing what it is doing does not mean it is not doing anything.

He also underscored the President’s concern over the missile deployment inside the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

A staunch critic of President Duterte at the House of Representatives threatened to file another impeachment case against the chief executive for his alleged dereliction of duty.

Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano said his group contemplates the filing of the ouster complaint this year as the one-year impeachment immunity of the President expired Tuesday.

Alejano said his group is looking at the supposed dereliction of duty on the part of the President for allegedly allowing the Chinese government to conduct survey in the Benham Rise and West Philippine Sea without informing the public.

“One of the bases of the impeachment case we will file against the President would be dereliction of duty. He allowed the Chinese government to conduct the survey in the Benham Rise and West Philippine Sea without the public having known it,” said Alejano.

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