Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 30) — While the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) says China has no permission to do research in Benham Rise, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said the Philippines could benefit from the study if China were allowed to conduct it.
“The benefit of this is we’re getting some results of researches without us conducting [the] research ourselves. But in the matter of sharing, this is something that we now have to work out very well,” Esperon told CNN Philippines’ News Night on Wednesday.
He added the end goal is always to protect the “national interest” for the welfare of the Filipino people.
“If we know more about our oceans, if we know more about what we have in our seabed and in our EEZ (exclusive economic zone), then we hope that that would redound to the benefit of the people,” Esperon said.
He then emphasized that whenever there is an application to conduct any research, the Philippines should be able to take part in the study.
“We are supposed to put in our own scientist there. We have the rights to board if there need be,” he said. “There is also the need for that researching ship to furnish us the results of the research.”
This was similarly cited by Acting Director Ma. Lourdes Montero, officer-in-charge of DFA’s Maritime and Ocean Affairs Office, as the reason for the DFA’s denial of the request, during Wednesday’s hearing of the Senate Economic Affairs on the proposed Benham Rise Development Authority.
“The usual reason is the non-involvement of Filipinos in the conduct of research,” Montero said, referring to the 2015 and 2016 requests of China to conduct research in Benham Rise.
Esperon added during that time, “there was a case filed with the Permanent Court of Arbitration against the Chinese on the South China Sea, so there could have been that directive where research ships from China would be denied.”
However, with relations between China and the Philippines being boosted by the Duterte administration, Esperon said the country should welcome the research ships.
In fact, he said President Rodrigo Duterte extended an invitation to China, but clarified it was more of a “general permission,” so individual applications still have to be filed.
He explained the President wanted a joint agreement with other countries to explore marine and energy resources in Benham Rise.
Esperon said earlier this year, Russian anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributs visited the country upon a similar invitation by Duterte when he talked with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Lima, Peru in 2016.
However, the national security adviser added, Russia still filed an individual application, which China must do as well.
Esperon said while the DFA normally issues the required permit for scientific and marine research in the country, the President can also do so.
When asked if a Chinese vessel had sent an official request to conduct research in the area, Esperon said, “From my point of view, I’d like to say that the exercise of getting permits can also be exercised by the President, whether it’s done verbally or not.”
CNN Philippines’ Cecille Lardizabal contributed to this report.
