A long-standing legal principle supports the Philippines’ ownership of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) in Palawan without having to argue about the nuances of international law, Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson said Wednesday.
Lacson said the Philippines became the owner of the KIG through a mode of acquiring territory known as discovery and effective occupation.
“Yung Spratly Islands, hindi ba si Tomas Cloma ang naka-discover nito kasi in-occupy niya? And this was formalized by the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. by way of Presidential Decree 1596 in 1978 (In the case of the Spratly Islands, wasn’t Tomas Cloma the one who discovered and occupied it? This was formalized by the late President Ferdinand Marcos by way of Presidential Decree 1596 in 1978),” Lacson said at the hearing of the CA’s Committee on National Defense.
In Filipino: Atin Ito! Ipinundar ni Lacson sa Prinsipyong Legal ang Pag-Aangkin ng Pilipinas sa Kalayaan Islands
Citing the principle of res nullius (“belonging to no one”), Lacson noted that no state legally owned the territory at the time Cloma discovered and occupied it.
He added Cloma then turned over ownership to the Philippine government thus leading to the presidential decree, although international law would still govern it. This was made formal by the 2016 arbitral ruling, he pointed out.
Following this principle, Lacson – who in 2021 visited Pagasa Island in the KIG in Palawan that is occupied by Filipinos – maintained that the island group “is ours.”
Earlier during the hearing, Sen. Rodante Marcoleta said part of the KIG is “way beyond our exclusive economic zone.”
“So atin ang KIG (So the KIG is ours). And Pagasa Island is a barangay of the KIG municipality, province of Palawan. This is the only inhabited barangay in the KIG and it is ours,” Lacson said.
*****
Atin Ito! Ipinundar ni Lacson sa Prinsipyong Legal ang Pag-Aangkin ng Pilipinas sa Kalayaan Islands
Isang prinsipyong legal ang sumusuporta sa pagmamay-ari ng Pilipinas sa Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) sa Palawan nang hindi na kinakailangang makipagtalo pa sa mga masalimuot na usapin ng international law, ayon kay Senate President Pro Tempore Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Miyerkules.
Iginiit ni Lacson na naging may-ari ang Pilipinas ng KIG sa pamamagitan ng isang paraan ng pagkuha ng teritoryo na kilala bilang “discovery and effective occupation.”
“Yung Spratly Islands, hindi ba si Tomas Cloma ang naka-discover nito kasi in-occupy niya? And this was formalized by the late President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. by way of Presidential Decree 1596 in 1978,” ani Lacson sa pagdinig ng Committee on National Defense ng CA.
Sa pagbanggit sa prinsipyong res nullius (“belonging to no one”), sinabi ni Lacson na walang estado ang legal na nagmamay-ari ng teritoryo noong panahong nadiskubre at inokupa ito ni Cloma.
Dagdag niya, kalaunan ay ipinasa ni Cloma ang pagmamay-ari nito sa pamahalaan ng Pilipinas na nagbunsod sa paglabas ng naturang presidential decree, bagaman saklaw pa rin ito ng international law. Pormal itong kinilala sa 2016 arbitral ruling, aniya.
Alinsunod sa prinsipyong ito, iginiit ni Lacson — na bumisita sa Pagasa Island sa KIG sa Palawan noong 2021 na tinitirhan ng mga Pilipino — na atin ang kapuluan.
Sa pagdinig, binanggit ni Sen. Rodante Marcoleta na ang bahagi ng KIG ay “way beyond our exclusive economic zone.”
“So atin ang KIG. And Pagasa Island is a barangay of the KIG municipality, province of Palawan. This is the only inhabited barangay in the KIG and it is ours,” giit ni Lacson.
*****