INQUIRER PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC
The Philippine government sees no “bad faith” on China’s move to name five underwater features at the Philippine Rise.
This, after Jay Batongbacal, maritime law expert, has said that China has named five undersea features at the Philippine Rise and was approved by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) in 2017.
The United Nations (UN) in 2012 has approved the Philippines claim to Philippine Rise, a 13-million hectare underwater landmass located east off Aurora province, and is believed to be rich in gas and mineral resources.
Asked whether China acted on bad faith with the naming of the underwater features, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said no.
“Wala naman po kasi ang nangyari diyan hindi tayo miyembro nung body na ‘yon pero ngayon po ang alam ko sa DFA, magno-nominate na tayo ng sariling eksperto sa body na ‘yon, hindi lang ako at authority to say kung sino ang ino-nominate natin pero siya ay isang scientist,” he said in a Palace briefing.
Roque said the Philippines would also give names to the undersea features at Philippine Rise.
“Dahil meron tayong sovereign rights, meron tayong kapangyarihan na magbigay ng pangalan,” he said.
“We’re not attributing any bad faith to China, but we’re just saying respect us too that we will give Filipino names to them,” he added.
The Philippines in 2017 renamed the undersea landmass Philippine Rise from Benham Rise, to assert its jurisdiction in the area.
The underwater plateau was named after American Admiral Andrew Benham who led a team of surveyors who were credited for discovering the area.
“Ang stand natin bahala kayo kung ano ang ibigay niyo diyan, basta kami magtatalaga kami ng Pilipinong pangalan gaya ng ginawa na namin sa pagbalewala sa dun sa pangalang binigay ng mga Amerikano sa lugar na yan, ngayong Philippine Rise na,” he said.
Roque believed that naming undersea features at the Philippine Rise would not affect the relations of Manila and Beijing.
“Siguro naman po hindi sila maapektuhan dahil wala nga pong kontrobersya sa Philippine Rise. Siguro po makakaapekto ito kung nangyari ito doon sa lugar na mayroong ongoing dispute,” he said.
The Philippines and China has been locked in a longstanding maritime dispute at the South China Sea, where China has a sweeping claims to almost all of the disputed sea, which the United Nations arbitral tribunal had invalidated.
“Pero dahil malinaw na malinaw naman po na ang Benham Rise is under our sovereign rights, we do not see any basis for China to be alarmed with our position that we will insist on our naming rights,” he said.
READ: Palace objects to China naming PH Rise features
Roque on Wednesday said the government is objecting China’s naming of some underwater features in the Philippine Rise.
“We object and do not recognize the Chinese names given to some undersea features in the Philippine Rise,” he said in a Palace briefing. /muf
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