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Monday, April 07, 2008
House to discuss Palace's plea on RP sea territory issue (6:20 p.m.)
MANILA - Malacanang's "request" for the House of Representatives to treat the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) and the Scarborough Shoal as mere "regime of islands" instead of as part of the archipelagic baseline of Philippine territory does not sit well with the chairman of the committee on foreign affairs.
"I'm not happy," said Cebu Representative Antonio Cuenco, noting Congress' exclusive role in legislation.
Cuenco however said he will have to call for a committee meeting on April 21 to relay the executive's stand and discuss possible solutions to the impasse which according to him will cause more delay to the bill.
Cuenco would not say if he believes that China -- one of the most persistent claimants of the Spratlys -- had a hand in the Palace's decision but said it will surely cause "many critical issues to deal with."
"With due respect to the executive, I will relay the message to the committee members. We'll talk about it. I cannot make a unilateral decision," he said.
The congressman has said the House was already dead-set on approving on final reading House Bill (HB) 3216 declaring the Philippines' archipelagic baseline which includes the disputed KIG and the Scarborough Shoal.
Speaker Prospero Nograles even said there was no reason for the House to block Cuenco's committee when sessions resume this month because this has long been pending in the plenary.
The Palace's decision was contained in a letter to Nograles by Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita, chairman of the Commission on Maritime and Ocean Affairs (Cmoa). (WV/Sunnex) |
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