Golez: China lusting after Benham Rise resources

MANILA, Philippines — Beijing might be eyeing the food and energy resources in Benham Rise off Aurora province, former National Security Adviser Roilo Golez said Tuesday.

"I'm very worried that China might be lusting for the resources that are available there plus the geostrategic value of Benham Rise," Golez told ANC's Headstart.

Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano earlier revealed that the Department of Foreign Affairs had allowed the Institute of Oceanology of Chinese Academy of Sciences to conduct a marine scientific research in Benham Rise.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque confirmed that President Rodrigo Duterte has allowed the Chinese to conduct research in the underwater plateau provided that Filipino scientists will be allowed to join.

Golez, however, questioned the decision of the government for allowing China to explore Benham Rise, which is part of the country's 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

"Why China? What benefit will be derived by allowing China to do research or survey in Benham Rise which we can do or maybe in partnership with a neutral country like France, Japan, US that have no claim on our exclusive economic zone," Golez said.

The former national security adviser noted that the Philippines has sovereign rights over the use and exploitation of the natural resources in Benham Rise.

China eyeing Benham Rise after occupying Mischief Reef and Scarborough Shoal might have territorial implications, according to Golez.

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"China is starving for food. They have to feed 1.3 billion, maybe 1.4 billion people and they might be eyeing the food resources in Benham Rise," Golez said.

"The other one is running out of energy also. They have to import energy from Russia and Benham Rose reportedly is very rich in natural gas and methane hydrates," he added.

Golez stressed that the government should emphasize that the Philippines has control over the region.

"We are the beneficial owner of Benham Rise because everything there, all natural resources are within our control," he said.

In 2012, the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf approved the submission of the Philippines in 2009 with respect to the limits of its continental shelf in the Benham Rise region.

Paragraph 1, Article 77 of the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea states that a state has sovereign rights over its continental shelf for the purpose of "exploring it and exploiting its natural resources."

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