MANILA, Philippines — Labor Secretary Francis Tolentino, a staunch defender of the country’s sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea (WPS), on Friday warned against “revisionist interpretations” as he rejected Chinese academics’ claim over Batanes.
Tolentino’s statement came after Chinese academics claimed that Batanes belongs to China through Taiwan. A report published by Jinan University and aired by Guangdong-based news outlet Newsgf said that participants described the Batanes Islands as a “natural geographical extension” of Taiwan, and asserted that the islands ‘ sovereignty belongs to China.
READ: Teodoro on Chinese scholars’ Batanes claim: It’s a joke
Tolentino affirmed that “Batanes is part of the Philippines and will always be.” He also said that such claims precede destabilization tactics.
“We will not allow selective, revisionist interpretations to compromise our territorial integrity,” Tolentino said in a press release.
Tolentino also emphasized that sovereignty is not decided in a conference room. The Chinese academics made the remarks during a symposium last month.
“Sovereignty is proven by effectivités—the continuous, peaceful, effective exercise of state authority. The Philippines has shown this for generations: governance, public services, courts, elections, and investment in the Ivatan people,” he added.
He then noted of the 1935 Constitution that fixed Batanes’ northern boundary at 21° 25’ North, which was anchored by the 1898 Treaty of Paris, the 1900 Treaty of Washington, and the 1930s US-UK Convention. He also pointed out how Spain formally attached the islands into the Philippine Archipelago in 1783 under Governor-General José Basco y Vargas.
The former senator was the principal author of the Republic Act (RA) No. 12604 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the RA 12065 or the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act.
The RA 12064 aims to declare the country’s maritime zones in accordance with the standards set by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea while the RA 12065 complements the former law in ensuring protection of the country’s sovereignty and maritime domain.
The Chinese government earlier barred Tolentino from entering mainland China, Macao, and Hong Kong for his stance on China-related issues, especially the WPS. /mr
The post Tolentino warns vs revisionist claims on Batanes by Chinese academics appeared first on Inquirer.net.
