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 Sen. Robin Padilla calls on his colleagues to give priority to proposed Senate Resolution No. 9 urging President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to resume bilateral talks with the People’s Republic of China for purposes of cooperation on oil and gas development in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). In a privilege speech September 5, 2022. Senate PRIB/File.


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<figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments" id="isPasted"><img alt="Sen. Robin Padilla calls on his colleagues to give priority to proposed Senate Resolution No. 9 urging President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to resume bilateral talks with the People’s Republic of China for purposes of cooperation on oil and gas development in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). In a privilege speech September 5, 2022. Senate PRIB/File." src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1706639666261.png" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><figcaption>Sen. Robin Padilla calls on his colleagues to give priority to proposed Senate Resolution No. 9 urging President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. to resume bilateral talks with the People’s Republic of China for purposes of cooperation on oil and gas development in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). In a privilege speech September 5, 2022. Senate PRIB/File.</figcaption></figure>MANILA -- Senator Robinhood Padilla is pushing for the inclusion of the Philippine claim to Sabah in the proposed Philippine maritime zones act, as a way of asserting the country’s sovereignty over it.“Mahirap naman po siguro kung magkaroon tayo uli ng isang batas ngayon na magiging tahimik uli. Siguro kailangan paalalahanan sa sambayanang Pilipino ang ating claim sa Sabah,” Padilla said during the interpellation on the bill in the Senate session on Tuesday, referring to the “silence” of the Republic Act 9522 or the baselines law on Sabah.The bill’s sponsor, Senator Francis Tolentino, said the Philippines is not abandoning its claim to Sabah, pointing out that the Constitution explicitly states so. He added that Republic Act 5446 defines the the baselines of the territorial sea of the Philippine archipelago “without prejudice to the delineation of the baselines of the territorial sea around the territory of Sabah…” over which the Philippines has acquired dominion and sovereignty.But Tolentino also clarified that Sabah is not covered by the proposed maritime zones law, as it relates to seas. “Hindi po natin inaalis ang ating pagkilala, ang ating pagaangkin sa teritoryo ng Sabah sa North Borneo kung saan ang Pilipinas sa ilalim ng batas na nabanggit ng Ginoong Senador Padilla ay nakasaad doon sa Republic Act 5446…” Tolentino said.“Maliwanag po Mr. President, hindi po natin inaabandona yan. Dangan nga lamang, Mr. President, itong usapin po sa maritime zone at tungkol po doon sa United Convention on the Law of the Sea ay patungkol po sa dagat , patungkol po sa dagat na nagsisimula… So ang usapin ng Sabah ay hindi kasama sa baselines na ito dahil ito ang archipelagic baseline,&quot; he also said.Tolentino added that while the DFA said that the Constitution should prevail, it does not prefer the use of direct language on Sabah given “evolving diplomatic and geopolitical ties” with neighbors including Malaysia.“Dapat daw yung ating Saligang Batas ay manaig subalit ayaw nilang gamitin ang diretsuhang lengwahe na hinihiling ng ating kasamang Senador Padilla na sa palagay ko ay tama. Tama na i-claim natin to be consistent that Sabah is part of our territory. However, due to our evolving diplomatic and geopolitical ties with our neighboring countries specifically… Malaysia, mayroon pong mga lengwahe na ayaw nilang ipalagay nang diretso,” Tolentino said.“And I understand the sentiment of the good gentleman (Padilla) that they should be reiterated. But just the same, the maritime zones law is anchored on UNCLOS and UNCLOS refers to the seas, the utilization of resources, sovereignty, sovereign rights, freedom of navigation. And the starting point would always be the archipelagic baselines… So hindi po papasok sa archipelagic baseline natin natin ang Sabah dahil ang Sabah po ay nandoon sa labas ng Philippine archipelago na kinikilala natin at ng ibang bansa, yung Luzon, Visayas, at Mindanao.“Ang sinasabi sa mga umiiral na batas natin… ang Sabah po magkakaroon ng sariling archipelagic baseline at balang araw magkakaroon ng sariling maritime zone law, magkakaroon ng sarilig territorial sea, contiguous zone at ng exclusive economic zone,” he said.Still, Tolentino agrees on the inclusion of a line stating that the Philippines is not abandoning its claim to Sabah, even if Sabah will not be part of the proposed maritime zones law.“Tama po ang kahilingan ni Senador Padilla na magbanggit ng isang linya na hindi natin inaabandona ang ating pagkilala sa Sabah. Tama po yun. At sa period of amendment kung anuman po ang magiging lenggwahe po nito mainam pong mahimay nang maayos para lumabas na hindi natin inaabandona ang ating claim sa Sabah. Subalit hindi po siya magiging bahagi nitong maritime zone law dahil ito po ay patungkol sa isang land territory, not the waters adjacent to the Philippine archipelagic baseline,” Tolentino said.“Wala po akong tutol kung yan ay magiging refined, diplomatically sensitive, and if it will promote our national interest,” he added.<div>RELATED VIDEO </div><figure><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nFyabcxCXYs?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure>Watch more News on <a data-cke-saved-href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a><div> </div><div> </div>

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Francis Tolentino, clarified that Sabah is not covered by the proposed maritime zones law, as it relates to seas.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Francis Tolentino, clarified that Sabah is not covered by the proposed maritime zones law, as it relates to seas.

Sen. Padilla pushes for inclusion of PH claim to Sabah in proposed PH maritime zones law

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Sen. Padilla pushes for inclusion of PH claim to Sabah in proposed PH maritime zones law

ABS-CBN News

Published Jan 31, 2024 02:35 AM PHT

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Senate

Robin Padilla

Francis Tolentino

Sabah

archipelagic baselines

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