IBP speaks up on West Philippine Sea, urges government to protect Filipino fishermen

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In a show of solidarity, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines has called on the government to bolster protection for Filipino fishermen operating within the country’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea .

Over the weekend, IBP President Antonio Pido and the organization’s governing board declared that “Filipino fishermen have the legal right to go fishing” within this EEZ. “The Philippine government is duty-bound to provide protection to our fishermen inside this zone,” they stated. The IBP cited Article 13, Section 7 of the 1987 Constitution, which mandates the State to uphold the preferential rights of subsistence fishermen in communal fishing grounds, both inland and offshore. This right is extended to protection against “foreign intrusion.” The organization of lawyers also underscored historical documents, including the Treaty of Paris of 1898 and the Treaty of Washington of 1900, which solidified the Philippines’ territorial claims in these regional waters. “When the Philippines gained independence, all these islands covered by the Treaty of Paris and Treaty of Washington that form part of the Philippine archipelago became part of our country’s territory,” the IBP elaborated in a statement released on Sunday, June 30. Adding weight to their argument, the IBP referenced the 2016 ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration. This landmark decision affirmed the country’s sovereign rights in the WPS, stating that “the Philippines shall enjoy all economic rights within its EEZ, including fishing, resource exploration, and marine conservation.” The IBPs statement comes at a crucial time when geopolitical tensions are on the rise, highlighting the need for robust legal and governmental support to safeguard the livelihoods of those who depend on the WPS.

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