PH to assert rights in WPS amid call to give up Kalayaan Group of Islands — Palace

The Philippines will continue to assert its sovereignty over the West Philippine Sea (WPS) despite Senator Rodante Marcoleta's call to give up the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in Palawan.

Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro on Friday said the administration will continue to uphold its policy to never give up any part of its territory to foreign powers.

"Ipagpapatuloy ng Presidente ang kaniyang polisiya na ipaglalaban natin [ang WPS]. Even an inch of our territory ay hindi isu-surrender sa foreign powers," Castro told Balitanghali.

(The President will continue implementing his policy that the Philippines will not surrender even an inch of the country's territory to any foreign power.)

"Hayaan na lamang natin ang Pangulo at DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) at pamahalaan na mag-decide patungkol dyan," she said.

(Let us let the President and DFA to decide on these issues.)

During a Committee on Appointments (CA) hearing on Wednesday, Marcoleta said the Philippines should give up the KIG in Palawan as its features are “way beyond our exclusive economic zone (EEZ)".

"Meron tayong mga isla na occupied natin ngayon, ang KIG. May apat na features sa KIG -- Pag-asa, Parola, Kota, at Lankiam. Incidentally, itong apat na features ay way, way beyond our EEZ. Wala sila sa sakop ng EEZ," Marcoleta said.

(Some of the islands in the KIG are occupied by the Philippines. The KIG has four features -- Pag-asa, Parola, Kota, and Lankiam. Incidentally, these features ay way, way beyond our EEZ.)

"Ang gawin natin para madali, i-give up natin ang KIG then maco-coordinate na natin lahat," he said.

(The easiest way is for us to give up the KIG so we can coordinate the entire stretch of the West Philippine Sea.)

Meanwhile, former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said geographical coordinates are not needed to determine a country’s EEZ, saying the international law already provides for the EEZ limits.

Carpio also clarified that the Maritime Zones Law previously recognized the KIG is beyond the country's EEZ and therefore stated that the WPS "refers to our territorial sea from our archipelagic baselines, our EEZ, and our maritime zones in our island territories,  as well as our maritime zones in Scarborough Shoal and Kalayaan Island Group."

“The Maritime Zones Act defines the West Philippine Sea. The West Philippine Sea is one of our maritime zones. Maritime zones include territorial sea that is 12 nautical miles [off coastline], the EEZ and extended continental shelf. This law states that the West Philippine Sea refers to our maritime zones in the West Philippine Sea, including the maritime zones of our islands,” Carpio said.

“Pag-asa island is beyond our EEZ [before]. Everybody knew that when they passed the law. That is why it was stated in the Philippine Maritime Zones law that the West Philippine Sea refers to our territorial sea from our archipelagic baselines, our EEZ, and our maritime zones in our island territories,  as well as our maritime zones in Scarborough Shoal and Kalayaan Island Group,” Carpio added.

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis." China has not recognized the decision. — BAP, GMA Integrated News