SHOULD another Chinese survey ship appears off Benham Rise, which is near the provinces of Aurora and Isabela, it should be accosted and driven away from the country’s eastern seaboard.
This is the order of Defense Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana to the Navy.
Lorenzana told reporters who attended the “Kapihan sa Kampo”, held at the Honor Hall of the National Defense College of the Philippines in Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Thursday, that Chinese ships have not only been violating the country’s exclusive economic zone at the West Philippine Sea but also on the Pacific Ocean.
“Another thing, one of their survey ships is also plying the Benham Rise already, last year, I think it was monitored for about three months going there, so I have ordered the Navy that if they see this survey ship this year to accost it and drive it away also from the eastern side of the Philippines,” Lorenzana said.
The 13-million-hectare Benham Rise is believed to be an oil-rich area and awarded to the Philippines by the United Nations in 2012.
Previously, Chinese survey ships were also seen off Scarborough Shoal and Reed Bank, surveying the sea bed for possible mineral deposits, he added.
The Chinese has gained control of Scarborough Shoal after a stand-off with the Navy in April 2012.