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[av_heading heading=’Palace mulls renaming Benham Rise to ‘PH Rise’’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
By ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Sunday, April 2, 2017
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MANILA – To emphasize the Philippines’ sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the contested area, the Malacañang on Saturday said that the government is thinking of renaming “Benham Rise” to “Philippine Rise.”
In a press statement, presidential spokesman Ernesto Abella said that the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Office of the Executive Secretary are now studying the possible name change.
“The DFA and Office of the Executive Secretary have been tasked to look into the possibility of changing the name of ‘Benham Rise’ to ‘Philippine Rise’,” the Palace official said.
“To emphasize our sovereign rights and jurisdiction the area, a motion has been made subject to the conduct of the requisite legal and logistical study to effect the change,” Abella.
Benham Rise, which is named after American Admiran Andrew Benham, is located east of Aurora province. The 13-million hectare underwater plateau is said to be rich in gas and mineral resources.
The United Nations had earlier ruled that Benham Rise was part of the country’s exclusive economic zone, but China recently expressed that the Philippines cannot claim the area as its own territory.
President Rodrigo Duterte, in his speech on Friday evening said that he was assured by the Chinese government that they are not after Benham Rise.
Department of National Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana revealed last month that some Chinese survey ships were spotted at Benham Rise for three months late last year.
The entry of the Chinese survey ships has alarmed not only the Philippines but also the international community. China said that it was only exercising its navigation freedoms and right to innocent passage in the area./PN
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