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Friday, March 29, 2024

Senate hears PH sea zone bill

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Senator Aquilino Pimentel III said Sunday the Senate committee on foreign affairs will conduct an inquiry into a proposed law that seeks to declare the country's maritime zones amid China's incursions into the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In an interview with radio dzBB, Pimentel said they will seek the views of international law experts on Senate Bill 2289 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, to determine if there is a need for such a law.

He said there is a school of thought that the country doesn't need a law.

"We already have the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS,” he said.

The bill, introduced by Senate President Vicente Sotto III, aims to identify maritime zones, archipelagic waters, and territorial zones of the country.

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“We have to insist on our maritime zones,” Pimentel said, adding that the government can initiate a review of its Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) with the United States to pressure China.

“If China will learn that we are reviewing our MDT and EDCA with the US, I'm sure they will think twice before fighting us on this issue,” he said.

Pimentel reiterated his proposal that the government tap the vast maritime treasures in the WPS.

Pressed on the resolution condemning recent Chinese ships' water cannon attack, Pimentel said he will seek to clarify the resolution's aim, saying he did not want a militarized approach in resolving the disputes in the South China Sea.

“There is a part there on entering defense and security arrangements with other nations. We need to talk about that and its meaning.

Personally, I don't want it to be militarized… if there is a disputed area let's not have it militarized. Let's make international law as our rule," Pimentel said.

Like all the other senators, he said Ayungin Shoal is within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

"Since quick action is needed in issues which are sensitive or charged with tension, let us allow the Executive branch to take charge of the current situation," he said.

Lacson filed the Senate Resolution 954 to denounce China’s continued presence and “hostile acts” within the Philippine EEZ in the West Philippine Sea.

Also, the resolution seeks to enhance the country's positions in the West Philippine Sea through "defense and security agreements with other nations.”

Meanwhile, an oceanographer with the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI) said Filipino scientists conducting research in the West Philippine Sea also experienced intimidation at the hands of China.

Chinese vessels have chased Filipino researchers from UP-MSI during their expeditions in the West Philippine Sea, said Deo Onda, a microbial oceanographer.

“They don't run over us or hit us. But we know that they follow us…

What we do is we just keep our distance from them,” he told ABS-CBN's Teleradyo, speaking in Filipino.

“Because MSI's ship can navigate through shallow waters, we go there which the big Chinese ships cannot reach.”

Onda said researchers have also received calls from China's coast guard, who claim that they were entering Chinese territory.

Some expeditions, which take months to prepare for, end up getting cancelled due to "security threats" in the West Philippine Sea, Onda said.

Also on Sunday, presidential candidate Senator Christopher “Bong” Go branded as unacceptable Chinese demands that the Philippines pull out the BRP Sierra Madre from the Ayungin Shoal.

“The Ayungin Shoal is part of the Kalayaan Group of Islands — an integral part of the Philippines. It belongs to us and it is ours to protect and use for the benefit of our people,” Go said.

“No one can legally prevent us from exercising our rights,” he added.

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