Senate President Vicente Sotto has filed a bill defining the Philippines' maritime zones to assert the country's sovereign rights and counter China's incursions.
“Let us make our own map, similar to China’s nine-dash line. Let’s insist on our own maritime zones. It is just a matter of really setting our foot down," Sotto said said in a statement on Wednesday, June 9.
In filing Senate Bill No. 2289 last Monday, June 7, Sotto said he seeks the declaration the maritime zones under the Philippines' jurisdiction and “provide for the necessary flexibility in the passage of subsequent laws pertinent to the rights and obligations" of the country over its over its maritime zones.
"In this way, the country can further preserve and protect the country’s maritime rights," the Senate leader explained in his bill.
"Likewise, just like the intention of the UNCLOS, this...bill may preclude any unwarranted and undesirable dispute with other nations involving our maritime areas," he added.
SB 2289 declares that the "maritime zones of the Philippines comprise the internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and continental shelf."
“All territories of the Philippines shall generate their respective maritime zones in accordance with internal law,” the proposed law also read.
The bill defines the Philippines' internal waters and archipelagic waters, over which the Philppines "exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction".
The country's territorial sea, meanwhile, refers to the adjacent belt of sea measured 12 nautical miles from the baselines of the territorial sea, while the contiguous zone refers to the waters beyond and adjacent to its territorial sea and up to the extent of 24 nautical miles from the baselines.
In this zone, SB 2289 says the Philippine government would also exercise control necessary to "prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea"; and "punish any infringement committed within its territory or territorial sea."
The bill also sought to instutionalize the country's EEZ as defined under the Presidential Decree No. 1599, and to the extent consistent with the provision of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
As for the Philippines' continental shelf, the bill maintains that the country has sovereign rights to explore and exploit the mineral, petroleum and non-living resources, as well as with regard to establishment and use of artificial islands, and installations and other structures over the area, and other rights provided under existing laws and the UNCLOS.
The bill also asserts the July 12, 2016 arbitral award favoring the Philippines and scrapping China's sweeping claim over the West Philippine Sea.
Sotto filed the bill following the call of former Supreme Court Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza for a new baselines law in the Philippines that would enforce the arbitral award.
Jardeleza was the solicitor-general for the Aquino administration that challenged China's nine-dash-line claim before the Hague-based Court of Arbitration.
He wrote to President Duterte about it last June 5, asking the Chief Executive to certify such legislation as urgent.