
Ni Estong Reyes
MAHIGPIT na inirekomenda ng isang Senate panel ang pagdedeklara at pagtatakda ng pagkakakilanlan sa maritime zones na sakop ng hurisdiksiyon at teritoryo ng Pilipinas.
Sa anim na pahinang committee report na ipinalabas nitong Linggo, sinabi ng Senate special panel on maritime and admiralty zones na kinabibilangan ang Philippine maritime zones ng internal waters, archipelagic waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone, at continental shelf.
Nakatakda sa committee report, kinilala ng panel ang zones na ito bilang mga sumusunod:
1. Internal Waters – Waters on the landward side of the archipelagic baselines not forming part of archipelagic waters. This also pertains to waters on the landward side of the baselines of the territories outside of the archipelagic baselines.
2. Archipelagic Waters – Refers to the waters on the landward side of the archipelagic baselines.
3. Territorial Sea – Refers to the adjacent belt of sea measured 12 nautical miles from the baselines.
4. Contiguous Zone – Refers to the waters beyond and adjacent to its territorial sea up to 24 nautical miles from the baselines.
5. Exclusive Economic Zone – Pertains to the waters beyond and adjacent to its territorial sea and up to the extent of 200 nautical miles from the baselines.
6. Continental Shelf — The Philippines’ continental shelf comprises the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas that extend beyond its territorial sea throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to the outer edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines, where the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend up to that distance.
Sinabi pa ng lupon na dapat kilalanin at pahahalagah ng Pilipinas ang karapatan at tungkulin ng dayuhan at kailangan kumilos ang dayuhan alinsunod sa karapatan at tungkulin ng Pilipinas, na may kaugn ayan sa maritime zones na itinakda ng United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and international law.
“Any violation of this Act shall be addressed and penalized through pertinent existing laws and regulations. In the absence thereof, any violation of this Act shall be subject to an administrative fine of not less than six hundred thousand US dollars (US$ 600,000.00) but not more than one million US dollars (US$ 1,000,000.00), or the equivalent in Philippine currency,” ayon sa report.