The mystery of Benham Rise

Early during his campaign for the presidency, President Duterte warned the Chinese that we would not relinquish even an inch of Philippine territory to China and that he would protect our sovereignty. Among other campaign promises this one was something that endeared him to many voters who wanted the Philippines to stand up for itself when it came to China bullying us about Scarborough Shoal.

I recall that he even went so far as to threaten the Chinese that he would protect our islands in the area from them even if he had to ride out there himself on a jetski to do so. This rallying cry gave many Filipinos hope that the president would be tough and would stand up to China, who many saw – and still see up to now – as a bully in these territorial disputes.

However, fast-forward to today and everything seems to have changed. After the election President Duterte seems to be okay with alienating everyone but China (and Russia). It was quite surprising to have heard him make such a strong promise on the Scarborough Shoal issue only to cozy up to China so much once he took the office. He even had no problem speaking out against the United States even though they were the ones who had promised to aid us should tensions with China get out of control over the disputed islands.

What happened? I understand and even applaud the need for diplomacy. I wrote in previous columns that I believe our issues with China can be resolved peacefully and through diplomatic channels. However, that doesn’t mean I think we should just roll over. Even as we explore peaceful and diplomatic solutions I think it’s important that we still have to stand our ground when it comes to our sovereignty over the disputed land and resources.

Just recently the country has been questioning what a Chinese research vessel was doing during a three month expedition in Benham Rise – a 13 million hectare underwater plateau over which the Philippines has exclusive rights to explore and utilize resources. Though security officials have maintained that the incident did not pose any threat to the country’s sovereignty the question of what exactly they were doing there still needs to be answered.

The answer could prove to be a simple one as they claim that they were just doing innocent research – after all thousands of vessels pass through Philippine waters on a daily basis. But I still feel that they respectfully owe us an answer. After all, it was in Philippine territory that the Chinese vessel was loitering and – if reports are to be believed – taking samples of seabeds. This could prove to be a problem if said samples turned out to be potential mineral resources.

At the end of the day, I still advocate peaceful resolutions and talking to clarify things. There is no need for suspicion to drive a wedge between our two countries, however too much caution was never a bad thing. We can’t ignore what’s happening around us because if we do by the time we realize something is amiss it might be too late.

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It looks like President Duterte will be stuck between a rock and a hard place as two of his high Cabinet members are butting heads and on a collision course. Who will he support? Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez or Environmental Secretary Gina Lopez? I suppose, at best, he is looking for a way to make a decision that is win-win for everyone, but honestly – at this point – it doesn’t seem like that exists.

Carlos Dominguez at first declined the offer of the President to be part of his Cabinet. He later decided to accept the post and took on being Finance Secretary. He and President Duterte are long time friends from Davao City. On the flip side is Gina Lopez who the president appointed to head the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). He has been quite vocal about his support for her and her tough stance to protect the environment from mining, which she deems harmful.

At first these two seem to have nothing in common other than the president’s support, but now they are going at each other quite aggressively. Lopez slammed Dominguez for trying to “usurp” her power with the creation of the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) in February saying that her decision to close down big mining firms is final and can’t be overturned by anyone but the president. She claims that his “interest” in her policies and closures is because he has a vested interest in the industry and in the business.

For his part Dominguez shot back at Lopez that being a secretary is not like being a crusader. He is referring to her passionate crusade against mining, which she has been fighting for years before even joining the government. According to the finance chief, he is opposed to her decision to shut down mining operations without giving the companies due process and cited the impact this would have on the investor climate and on the industry which employees over a million Filipinos.

At the end of the day it will be interesting to see which side the president falls on. We know that Gina Lopez was bypassed in the Commission on Appointments this March due to the fact that she was not in town and the Commission said they wanted to give her time to return and address the allegations against her. In May when they reconvene we will all get a better idea of whether or not she will be reappointed.

Personally, I have always applauded Lopez’s passion for the environment and for preserving resources for future generations of Filipinos. However, at the same time I believe in responsible mining as well. I believe both parties should be allowed to have their say and to present all the pertinent evidence and science. In the end the decision should be fair, impartial, and for the benefit of all.