TOL: Repeal of PH Maritime Zones Law part of Beijing’s agenda in the coming PH polls
SENATE Majority Leader Francis ‘Tol’ Tolentino believes that the repeal of the Philippine Maritime Zones Law (Republic Act 12064) is among Beijing’s primary objectives in supporting pro-China candidates in the coming midterm elections.
“If the Maritime Zones Law is repealed in the next Congress dominated by pro-China lawmakers, our basis to assert our rights in the West Philippine and Talampas ng Pilipinas will weaken. Mapipilay tayo,” Tolentino warned. (“Our legal basis will be crippled.”)
“This will allow China unhampered access to these territories to conduct surveys and exploration in the guise of freedom of navigation,” he added.
If this happens, Tolentino said that the Philippines will stand to lose its hard-earned victories from the 2016 Hague arbitral ruling that nullified China’s nine-dash line, and the signing last year of the Philippine Maritime Zones Law, which is an enforcement of the historic decision.
He specifically cited the Talampas ng Pilipinas, a resource-rich undersea rise located in Luzon’s eastern seaboard. He noted that the map for the Talampas was officially deposited by government representatives with the International Seabed Authority last March 27 in pursuit of RA 12064. He added that Chinese drones and research vessels have been monitored in the area.
Meanwhile, Tolentino said that the service contract he exposed at a Senate hearing last Thursday involving the Chinese embassy in the Philippines and public relations firm, InfinitUS Marketing Solutions, Inc. – is part of a parallel campaign to project “supposedly growing pro-Beijing sentiments” among Filipino netizens.
“This is a campaign that involves the widespread manipulation of the minds that would lead to an eventual control of public perception that what is being propagated is correct and true, in pursuit of Beijing’s interest,” he warned.
Tolentino noted that the flooding of messages to discredit pro-Filipino candidates amid China’s growing aggression in the West Philippine Sea is meant to make the public believe that the views represent genuine sentiments of Filipinos, even if the same are being posted through fake personas operated by the PR firm.
“And this is what we do not want to happen, because it seems that their agenda is to divide and conquer Filipinos gradually, without the need to launch an actual invasion,” he stressed.
He noted that pro-China trolling intensified in social media following the enactment in November, 2024 of RA 12064, which China strongly opposed.
