MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government will not compromise its territorial integrity in the face of Chinese vessels loitering inside the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez and other lawmakers said on Monday.
In a statement, Romualdez stressed that the Philippine Rise, also known as the Benham Rise, is undoubtedly within Philippine territory being on the eastern side of the Luzon mainland.
“The Philippines will not compromise its territorial integrity or allow any encroachment upon its sovereign rights. Philippine Rise is unquestionably within our EEZ, and we will assert our authority to safeguard our maritime domain,” Romualdez said.
“The Philippines will not back down or yield an inch of its territory. We will continue to assert our rights over the Philippine Rise and any other maritime areas that belong to us under international law,” he pointed out.
Romualdez said this after two Chinese research vessels were seen at the Philippine Rise — a resource-rich underwater plateau east of Cagayan Valley and Southern Luzon last Friday.
Days prior to this discovery at the Philippine Rise, Chinese warships were seen in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). According to the Philippine Navy, it experienced interference in its electronic capabilities during operations in the WPS.
READ: Navy marks ‘interference’ in its ‘electronic capabilities’ in WPS
“The Philippine Rise is a vital marine resource rich in biodiversity and potential for scientific research, as well as economic opportunities for our country. We must protect and harness its full potential for the benefit of the Filipino people,” the Speaker added.
Romualdez called on countries to respect the rights of ‘coastal states’ like the Philippines and follow international law.
“We call on all nations to respect the rights of coastal states, uphold the principles of international law, and refrain from any activities that undermine regional stability and maritime security,” Romualdez said.
“The Philippine government remains steadfast in its duty to protect our sovereignty and preserve our national interest. We will work closely with relevant agencies to address this issue effectively and assert our rights within the bounds of international law,” he added.
Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker David Suarez, Bataan 1st District Rep. Geraldine Roman, Zambales 1st District Rep. Jefferson Khonghun, and La Union 1st District Rep. Paolo Ortega said that the incidents stress the need for programs that would improve the country’s defense capabilities.
“This highlights the need for our country to invest in our defense infrastructure as well as the installations located in the islands that we already occupied. It should be a matter of priority, actually. You know, we do not want to be bullied. And we would show that we stand for our country,” Roman said.
“We thank Speaker Martin Romualdez for being steadfast with his commitment that not even an inch will be sacrificed when it comes to fighting for our sovereignty and our territory,” Suarez added.
READ: China must stop incursion in PH territorial waters — Lorenzana
Last February 28, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that while the presence of warships over the West Philippine Sea is worrisome, Filipinos can be assured that the government would defend the country’s sovereignty.
READ: Marcos: Presence of Chinese warships in West Philippine Sea ‘worrisome’
Earlier, Marcos said that the Philippines will cooperate with China in areas where the two countries’ interests align, but would push back when its sovereignty is under threat.