While some of his colleagues were fuming, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III saw no problem with China naming five undersea features in the Philippine Rise since he said “no one has the monopoly” of the right to name any features on earth.
While some of his colleagues were fuming, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III saw no problem with China naming five undersea features in the Philippine Rise since he said “no one has the monopoly” of the right to name any features on earth.
In fact, Pimentel also believes that the Philippines has no “exclusive right” to name even those within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“Without reading the convention or the treaty, or the rules governing the name, common sense tells me that no one has a monopoly of the power or the right to name features on earth. Wala naman pong ganun,” he told reporters on Wednesday.
“It’s only to name. Iba naman yung exercising sovereign rights. Even sovereign rights do not mean sovereignty,” he said, “Una sa lahat, Benham Rise, sinong nagpangalan nyan…? Nagalit ba tayo noong Amerikano (ang nag) name nyan? Nagalit ba tayo? Ngayon, Chinese name, allergic tayo?”
Pimentel stressed that he was “not bothered” by China’s move as he advised everyone to read the rules about who can propose and oppose the name proposals.
