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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Rodriguez blasts China for enforcing 'baseless' maritime rule 

Rodriguez blasts China for enforcing 'baseless' maritime rule 

Published Jun 19, 2024 11:14 am

At A Glance

  • Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez castigated China for the unilateral enforcement of its "illegal" rule to detain alleged trespassers in areas in the South China Sea (SCS) that it claims as part of its territory. 

20240129_140057.jpgCagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

A veteran congressman from Mindanao castigated China for the unilateral enforcement of its “illegal” rule to detain alleged trespassers in areas in the South China Sea (SCS) that it claims as part of its territory.

Cagayan de Oro City 2nd district Rep. Rufus Rodriguez reckoned in a statement Wednesday, June 19 that the rule "has no basis in law. It violates the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling in favor of our country".

China just last June 14 issued its Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) Order No. 3, which stipulated that from June 15, 2024, the “Regulations on Administrative Law Enforcement Procedures for Coast Guard Agencies” will be implemented.

This supposedly authorized the CCG to board and detain foreign vessels and personnel suspected of violating the waters it claims jurisdiction to, Rodriguez said.

He said the recent incident in which CCG personnel boarded a Philippine vessel at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) is obviously part of Beijing’s enforcement of such rule.

“How could they claim our people are trespassing in that area not far away from Palawan when Ayungin Shoal is inside our 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ)?" asked the solon, chairman of the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments.

“It is the Chinese who are trespassing in our EEZ. We should be the ones apprehending and detaining them,” he stressed.

Rodriguez says that with the recent Ayungin incident, China is escalating tensions in the SCS and disrupting regional peace, stability and prosperity.

Reports said that eight Philippine Navy sailors were injured Monday after CCG vessels blocked and then towed their boats while they were on a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. One of the sailors reportedly had a finger cut off.

Ayungin Shoal is part of the WPS, which is located in the broader SCS.

Related Tags

Rufus Rodriguez South China Sea West Philippine Sea
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