‘No bullying on own turf’

The Philippines must be spared from bullying within its own maritime territory, Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. said Tuesday as he co-sponsored a measure seeking the declaration of a maritime zone under the country's jurisdiction.

Revilla, the principal author of Senate Bill 2492 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, said it is crucial to legislate a law amid the increasing maritime security threats in the West Philippine Sea.

SB 2492 provides for a general declaration of the maritime zones under the Philippines' jurisdiction, including its internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf.

The law would define the maximum extent of the territorial sea (12 nautical miles), contiguous zone (24 nautical miles), EEZ (200 nautical miles), and continental shelf, and allow the delineation of continental shelves extending beyond 200 nautical miles, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

It would also provide for sovereign rights over these maritime zones, thus establishing the Philippines' exclusive right to explore and exploit living and nonliving resources found in these zones.

Also on Tuesday, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. urged veterans of the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations to promote peace and security in the region.

Speaking at the 22nd General Assembly of the ASEAN Veterans Confederation, Teodoro said the group was founded to foster understanding, peace, and dialogue and influence the countries' policies towards a more peaceful ASEAN region.

He emphasized the need to advocate for principled and sustainable peace and build trust between ASEAN countries.