MANILA, Philippines – Hinimok ni Bicol Saro Partylist Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan sa mga kapwa mambabatas nito na maipasa na ng Kamara ang archipelagic sea lanes bill sa harap na rin ng panibagong insidente sa West Philippine Sea sa pagitan ng ng Chinese ships at Philippine vessel na nasa isang resupply mission sa BRP Sierra Madre sa Ayungin Shoal.
“We join Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez in strongly condemning China’s reckless and dangerous actions in the West Philippine Sea. These acts pose a threat to regional peace and stability and are blatant violations of international law,” pahayag ni Yamsuan, na miyembro ng House Special Committee on the West Philippine Sea.
“While China continues to disregard our freedom of navigation within our own exclusive economic zone (EEZ), we should act quickly to ensure that such actions do not embolden them to encroach on our territorial waters and conduct any kind of activity without the permission of our government,” dagdag pa nito.
Ayon kay Yamsuan, mismong ang Office of the Solicitor General at National Security Council ang nagsabi na ang pag-establisa ng archipelagic sea lanes at ang pagpapatupad ng Maritime Zones Act ay makatutulong para sundin ng ibang bansa gaya ng China ang mga probisyon na nakapaloob sa international law.
Noong Mayo ay naipasa na ng Kamara sa ikatlo at huling pagbasa ang House Bill (HB) 7819 o proposed Maritime Zones Act, nakapaloob dito ang general declaration ng maritime zones kasama dito ang internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, EEZ at continental shelf.
Samantala, ang HB 9034 na inakda ni Yamsuan ay ang pagtatalaga naman ng sea lanes at air routes sa West Philippine Sea.
“The President is empowered under the bill to fix the coordinates of the designated sea lanes, and substitute or add to them. The continued non-designation of the country’s archipelagic sea lanes is tantamount to waiving this right under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” pagtatapos pa ni Yamsuan. Gail Mendoza
