Push Admin

House panel OKs bill declaring portion of Benham Rise protected; solon hits partial coverage

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/news/03/15/benham2.jpg"/><figcaption>This photo was taken during a marine expedition at Benham Rise on May 26, 2016. Branching corals contribute to the complexity of the reef. <em>Oceana Philippines/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The House Committee on Natural Resources on Wednesday approved a substitute bill that establishes the &quot;Philippine Rise Natural Park&quot; in Isabela and declares it as a protected area under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act, but not without some lawmakers objecting to its limited coverage. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/15/18/duterte-declares-benham-rise-a-marine-protected-area">Duterte declares Benham Rise a marine protected area</a></li></ul><p>Deputy Speaker and Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza voted against the bill and questioned why its current version only covers a smaller portion of the Benham Rise compared to the one filed by Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon.</p><p>Atienza and panel chair Cavite Rep. Elpidio Barzaga figured in a verbal scuffle, prompting the suspension of the virtual committee hearing.</p><div><strong>UNDERMINING PH CLAIMS</strong></div><p>According to Atienza, Biazon&#x27;s bill was pushing for the whole Benham Rise to be declared a protected area in line with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) award. </p><p>The country&#x27;s claim to Benham Rise, a 13-million-hectare area located east of Luzon island that is believed to be gas-rich, was approved by the United Nations in 2012.</p><p>However, the bill that Barzaga approved only covers a portion of it or about 350,000 hectares.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/03/16/17/how-benham-rise-was-won">How Benham Rise was won</a></li></ul><p>This, according to Atienza, would undermine the Philippines&#x27; territorial claim. </p><p>&quot;Hindi ba pinahihina natin ang posisyon ng Pilipinas diyan? <br/>Pagdating ng araw na ang Tsina ay magke-claim na naman,&quot; Atienza told the media after the hearing. </p><p>(Aren&#x27;t we weakening our position there? One day China will make another claim.)</p><p>&quot;[They will say] &#x27;but you have proclaimed, as protected by you, is only a 350,000-hectare area, we are not touching that but we are claiming the whole.&#x27; Ano sasabihin natin (what will we say)?&quot; Atienza said.</p><p>Atienza said Barzaga has railroaded the procedure and that the committee ignored his questions.</p><p>But Barzaga explained during the hearing: &quot;Parliamentary procedure ito, the rule of the majority prevails, no one person can compel us to follow his wish.&quot;</p><p>Barzaga also denied Atienza&#x27;s claims, adding Congress may later on expand the scope of the bill once it becomes a law.</p><p>Atienza vowed to question the approved bill before the plenary.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/22/18/china-was-right-roque-says-ph-has-no-sovereignty-over-benham-rise">&#x27;China was right&#x27;: Roque says PH has no sovereignty over Benham Rise</a></li></ul><p>The undersea plateau made headlines in 2017 after Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang confirmed that Chinese vessels recently passed through Benham Rise for &quot;marine research,&quot; but insisted this was only in exercise of the principle of &quot;freedom of navigation&quot; and &quot;right to innocent passage.&quot;</p><p>China and the Philippines have resolved disputes in another area, the West Philippine Sea. China has committed repeated incursions in the country&#x27;s exclusive economic zone, asserting its sovereign rights over the larger South China Sea. </p><div><strong>—With a report from Zandro Ochona, ABS-CBN News</strong></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1722286" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>Deputy Speaker and Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza voted against the bill and questioned why its current version only covers a smaller portion of the Benham Rise compared to the one filed by Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon.<br /> </p>

Deputy Speaker and Buhay Party-list Rep. Lito Atienza voted against the bill and questioned why its current version only covers a smaller portion of the Benham Rise compared to the one filed by Muntinlupa Rep. Ruffy Biazon.