Oro dads back state efforts protecting West Philippine Sea

THROUGH a resolution, the 20th City Council of Cagayan de Oro, headed by City Vice Mayor Bebot Rodriguez, expressed its collective support for the Philippine government’s efforts in protecting the West Philippine Sea.

The resolution was introduced by Vice Mayor Rodriguez in response to Resolution No. 2023-4794 filed by the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Nueva Vizcaya, urging all Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sangguniang Panlungsod, Sangguniang Bayan, and Sangguniang Barangay, for the purpose.

In filing the resolution, Vice Mayor Rodriguez cited the landmark legal ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016, which unequivocally declared that the maritime entitlements in the South China Sea, as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), should not exceed the limits set by the convention, rejecting China’s nine-dash line claim.

According to the vice mayor, the government’s efforts in asserting its rights in the West Philippine Sea align with the principles of international law, which found China in breach of its obligation under the UNCLOS.

In addition, the increasing territorial disputes and incursions by the People’s Republic of China in the West Philippine Sea pose threats to the nation’s sovereignty, security, and economic interests, with recent provocations by China, including the hindrance of Philippine Coast Guard resupply missions and the establishment of a floating barrier near Scarborough Shoal.

The legislation was sponsored by the Committee on Laws and Rules chaired by Councilor Edgar S. Cabanlas.