Phl protests China’s naming of Benham Rise features

The Philippines does not recognize and is protesting China’s moves to name of five undersea features in the Philippine or Benham rise.

“We object and do not recognize the Chinese names given to some undersea features in the Philippine Rise,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said yesterday, as he recommended that Beijing’s move be contested before concerned organizations.

Philippine Ambassador to China Jose Santiago “Chito” Sta. Romana has brought the matter up before his counterpart in Beijing.

“They are likewise considering a recommendation to officially notify the chair of the International Hydrographic Organization-Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (IHOIOC GEBCO) Sub-Committee on Undersea Feature Names (SCUFN),” he said, referring to embassy officials.

Roque said the Philippines is not a member of the SCUFN, which has 12 members.

“China’s proposals to rename some undersea features in the Philippines were submitted to SCUFN during its meetings in Brazil on Oct. 1216, 2015 and Sept. 19-23, 2017,” he said.

Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines’ Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, earlier said Beijing’s move is an affront to the country’s sovereignty and national pride.

Reports said China submitted in 2014 names for consideration by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), which approves and documents surveyed and charted waters.

He said IHO approved one name proposed by China in 2016, and four in 2017.

These are the Jinghao and Tianbao seamounts located 70 nautical miles east of Cagayan province, the Haidonquing Seamount further east and the Jujiu Seamount and Cuiqiao Hill, which form the central peaks of the undersea geological province.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Philippines should begin giving Filipino names to features in the Philippine Rise in response to China’s move. He said he would discuss the matter with National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and other Cabinet members.

“As for me, I would also give these features Philippine names,” Lorenzana said, adding that even disputed land features in the South China had different names, depending on which country is claiming them.

In the case of the Philippine Rise, the country has an edge over other nations in the renaming effort since it is clearly within Philippine territory as defined by the United Nations Commission on the Extended Continental Shelf.

Senators said a diplomatic protest should be the Philippines’ answer to China’s action.

“I think it’s our sworn duty to fight for and protect our sovereignty and protect our territorial integrity. What China has been doing is they are already bullying the Philippine government,” Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito told reporters.

“The mere fact they already named portions of Benham Rise, they have given Chinese names. That’s a sign they want to infringe on our territory,” he said.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, for his part, is calling for a review of the circumstances that made the government approve China’s survey activities in the Philippine Rise and led Beijing’s giving some features Chinese names.

“They (China) cannot claim it. The United Nations has declared that this is already part of our extended continental shelf. That’s very clear. We have sovereign rights in that area and we can exploit and explore that area,” Gatchalian said.

Sen. Manny Pacquiao suggested that the government simply give Filipino names to the same features given Chinese names.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said the government may opt to just rename the features named by China. But he stressed naming land features does not mean claiming ownership.

He noted that Benham Rise was named after an American explorer but the area remains with the Philippines.

“I’m sure no country has the exclusive power or right to name features, but sovereign rights, that’s a different matter,” Pimentel said.

“We ask China why it is proposing names, but my point is we look at the rules. Is China, or any other country, prohibited from proposing names? Is there a procedure to oppose the proposal of names, then let’s do that,” he said.

China’s giving names to features in the Philippine Rise has sparked debates on Twitter between former congressman Roilo Golez and ambassador to the UN Teodoro Locsin Jr.

“When was China authorized to explore the undersea of Benham Rise and who gave the authority? Now we have features there with Chinese names! P. I.!!! Sobra na yan (It’s too much)! I urge that those Chinese names be Filipinized ASAP, same way Benham was changed to Philippine. Sir, now na please!” Golez said on Twitter.

But Locsin said the way to deal with China’s action is to ignore it.

“WRONG GOLEZ. DO NOT FILIPINIZE THOSE S**T CHINESE NAMES. IGNORE THEM. THE CHINESE CANNOT NAME THOSE FEATURES. THEY ARE NOT CHINESE,” Locsin said in an all-caps tweet.

“Wrong Locsin. Records say they are Chinese names. Those names should be scrapped and changed to Filipino names. You the PH Ambassador to the UN should stand up there in the UN and condemn China’s incursions and sea grabbing,” Golez said.

“Forget it. You mean China can just name anything and it will be cartographic nomenclature? Ignore it. It is childish and stupid to bring it up. It will give respectability to China’s childishness. Do it if you want,” Locsin said.

Golez said there is nothing childish about the issue as IHO had approved China’s labeling of the features in 2017.

“Do your share, stand up there, condemn China. You are a known verbal pugilist so do it PH Ambassador to the UN Locsin! Stand up for our country,” he said. –