Push Admin

Duterte's PH rise visit 'unfortunate' - maritime expert

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

MANILA - President Rodrigo Duterte&#x27;s planned visit to the Philippine Rise (Benham Rise) next week is &quot;unfortunate,&quot; a maritime law expert said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/08/18/duterte-to-visit-ph-rise-on-may-15-16">Duterte to visit PH Rise on May 15-16</a></li></ul>Jay Batongbacal, director of the UP Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, said the continental shelf is not a hotly contested area and the government should instead work on asserting its rights on the West Philippine Sea.&quot;The fact that it&#x27;s happening now while these issues are flaring up again in the West Philippine Sea sort of gives our people a bad impression,&quot; he told ANC&#x27;s Beyond Politics.&quot;It&#x27;s kind of funny in a way that you&#x27;re asserting rights in an area that is not contested; meantime, the other party, the only other party as far as we know that&#x27;s hotly contesting any part of our territory is building up its ability to keep us out,&quot; he said.Batongbacal also called on the Duterte administration to cooperate with other countries which may be directly affected by China&#x27;s militarization in South China Sea.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/05/09/18/vietnam-asks-china-to-withdraw-military-equipment-from-south-china-sea">Vietnam asks China to withdraw military equipment from South China Sea</a></li></ul>

President Rodrigo Duterte's planned visit to the Philippine Rise (Benham Rise) next week is "unfortunate," a maritime law expert said.

President Rodrigo Duterte's planned visit to the Philippine Rise (Benham Rise) next week is "unfortunate," a maritime law expert said.