(INQUIRER file picture/ MARIANNE BERMUDEZ)
MANILA, Philippines — Following the sighting of Chinese language warships within the Basilan Strait in Mindanao, the Senate on Friday was urged to go a invoice that may outline the nation’s sea lanes and deter the intrusion of overseas vessels and plane within the Philippine territory, significantly the West Philippine Sea.
Cagayan de Oro 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez made the enchantment in a press release issued Friday, pertaining to his Home Invoice No. 9034.
He particularly sought the Senate’s approval of the measure as quickly as “Congress begins its third and final common session.”
“We should always take all measures to guard our nation’s territorial integrity and sovereignty. The Chinese language should not solely intruding within the western a part of our nation however within the south as effectively,” mentioned Rodriguez.
“As normal, we must always anticipate adversarial reactions from the Chinese language, which we must always ignore. Let’s assume solely of our nationwide curiosity,” he added.
Rodriguez mentioned HB 9034 was accepted by the decrease chamber on third and closing studying in December 2023.
It was instantly transmitted to the Senate the next day.
A fast have a look at the Senate’s web site would present that the invoice was already thought-about in Senate Invoice No. 2665, in any other case often known as the Philippine Archipelagic Sealanes Act, which already reached the chamber’s plenary for sponsorship in Might.
Rodriguez mentioned his invoice units the coordinates designating the ocean lanes and air routes for the continual and expeditious crusing or flight of overseas ships and plane exercising the fitting of harmless passage.
The lawmaker mentioned non compliance by overseas civilian ships and plane with pertinent provisions of the invoice constitutes a violation of present fisheries, environmental, customs, fiscal, immigration, sanitary, and different pertinent legal guidelines.
“If the non-compliance doesn’t represent a violation of present legal guidelines, the identical shall be punishable by imprisonment of 6 months and one 1 day 2 years and a couple of months or a tremendous of US$1,200,000.00 or its equal in Philippine forex, or each such imprisonment and tremendous on the discretion of the court docket,” his invoice reads.
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