Press Release
January 28, 2009

PIMENTEL CITES COMPROMISE ON KALAYAAN ISLANDS
IN BASELINES BILL

Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Q. Pimentel, Jr. (PDP-Laban) today said he supported the final version of the bill delineating the country's archipelagic baselines because the committee on foreign relations, chaired by Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, adopted the compromise that the Kalayaan Islands and Scarborough shall remain subject to the sovereignty and territorial claim of the Republic of the Philippines.

With the insertion of this condition under the bill, Pimentel said he agreed to withdraw his objection to its treatment of the Kalayaan Islands and Scarborogh Shoal as part of a "regime of islands" instead of being enclosed within the archipelagic baselines.

"I agreed to the compromise wherein the Kalayaan Islands and Scarborough Shoal will be treated as a regime of islands but under the sovereignty or territorial claim by the Republic of the Philippines. That was the formula that was accepted by Sen. Santiago. And that removed the stumbling block to the bill's approval," he said.

The minority leader cited Section 3 of the urgent bill which states: "This act shall be without prejudice to Philippine dominion and sovereignty over all portions of the national territory as defined under Article 1 of the Constitution of the Philippines and applicable laws."

Pimentel pointed out that Kalayaan Islands - part of the Spratly Islands in the China Sea whose ownership is being claimed by other countries - have been officially declared part of the Philippine territory under existing laws dating back to the Marcos administration.

He stressed that with the incorporation of this section, this allay the apprehension that the country's claim to the Kalayaan Islands and Scarborough may be undermined.

Pimentel said that while the version of the bill approved House of Representatives treats Kalayaan Islands and Scarborough Shoal differently by placing them within the baselines, there will be smooth sailing for the measure when it goes to the bicameral conference committee.

He said Cebu Rep. Antonio Cuenco, chairman of the House committee on foreign relations, informed him that the House panel will simply adopt and approve the Senate version.

The minority leader said he sees no more obstacle to the final enactment of the baselines law to beat the May 13, 2009 deadline of the United Nations.

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