Palace: Objection to China’s naming of Benham Rise features approved by Duterte

President Rodrigo Duterte approved the government's objection to China's naming of five underwater features in the Benham Rise (Philippine Rise), according to Malacañang on Tuesday.

"I assure you, everything I say here is reflective of the President’s position. And we do so because we do a lot of work to make sure we’re in sync with the President’s position," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said at a press briefing.

Roque issued the statement after Duterte downplayed the issue on Monday, telling Filipino-Chinese businessmen in an event at the Manila Hotel that the names were "just directions" indicating Chinese scientists had already finished their research in the area.

Still, Roque insisted that the Philippine government does not recognize the names given to these undersea features.

The government would also give local names to the undersea features, arguing only Manila had sovereign rights to explore and exploit natural resources in the 13-million hectare undersea plateau that stretched from the coast of Cagayan and the Bicol Region.

"But as I said, the naming is independent from either claiming title or claiming rights on a certain area. It’s just a established procedure in a scientific body that gives preference, naming rights to countries that have discovered features," he said.

"But even that, we have said, we will resort to giving them Philippine names in the same way that we have done away with the name given by the Americans to the area which is Benham Rise. It’s now known as Philippine Rise."

Maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal earlier said the International Hydrographic Organization's (IHO) Sub-Committee on Undersea Feature Names (SCUFN) had approved China's proposed names for five features in the undersea region.

China had given four seamounts the names Jinghao, Tianbao, Haidonquing, and Jujiu; and gave an undersea hill the name Cuiqiao.

Roque also made a clarification on the President's assertion that the features in the West Philippine Sea belonged to Manila yet he suggested to China in jest to make the Philippines as one of its provinces.

"It’s just to emphasize na it’s ours but we’re one with China. Take it in that spirit. But he was very firm that we have title over the disputed are in West Philippine Sea, and we have rights in Benham – exclusive rights in Philippine Rise," the Palace official said.

The United Nations-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration delivered in July 2016 a sweeping victory to the Philippines on the case it filed against China during the term of then-President Benigno Aquino III, declaring as illegal China's claim over nearly the entire South China Sea.

It also declared that Beijing violated the rights of Filipinos, who were blocked by Chinese Coast Guard from fishing in the disputed Scarborough Shoal off Zambales.

Duterte, however, temporarily set aside the ruling to avoid confrontation with China, but vowed to raise it at the right time during his presidency. — RSJ, GMA News