Harry Roque said that China is right when it stated that the Philippine government cannot claim the Benham Rise as its own territory
“Tama po iyon. Wala tayong titulo sa Benham Rise,” this is the statement of presidential spokesman Harry Roque regarding the claim of China on Benham Rise.
It is a massive 13-million-hectare area located east of Luzon island which is officially known as Philippine Rise.
It was approved by the United Nations in 2012 when the Philippines claimed the rights over the Benham Rise.
The said area is a seismically active undersea region and extinct volcanic ridge located in the Philippine Sea approximately 250 km east of the northern coastline of Dinapigue, Isabela, based on the article recently published in kami.com.ph.
Following the statement from Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in May 2017 that the Philippines has no right to claim the Benham Rise, Harry Roque agreed with this.
After the statement that Wang Yi released last year, this created speculations and doubts among the citizens of the country regarding the plans of China in exploring the area.
The presidential spokesman iterated that the country has no title but only sovereign rights.
“Sovereign rights is different from title. Sovereign rights is the right to explore and exploit the natural and non-living resources found in the area,” Roque said on his statement.
According to him what the Filipinos only have in the area is the right to explore and exploit the natural resources found thereat.
Furthermore, the Palace official said that included in the sovereign rights is to allow which country will conduct scientific research in the area.
“And we have allowed scientific research on the basis of guidelines that are already existing. And other nations, or other companies from different countries, can also apply,” he said, based on the report.