Gatchalian sees nothing wrong in renaming Benham Rise

Benham Rise

A change in names is no problem.

This was how Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian reacted on Sunday to Malacañang’s plan to rename Benham Rise to Philippine Rise.

The Palace on Saturday said the Office of the Executive Secretary will conduct the study to effect the renaming of Benham Rise, a 24 million hectare continental shelf that the Philippines was granted sovereign rights by the United Nations.

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said the renaming of Benham Rise was intended to “emphasize Philippine sovereign rights and jurisdiction over the area.”

In a text message, Gatchalian, who led a Senate inquiry into Benham Rise last week, reminded there were “no existing territorial disputes in the Benham Rise area.”

“Therefore, the Philippines has complete jurisdiction over the 24.4 million hectares of Benham Rise,” Gatchalian said.

The senator said he did not see anything wrong in changing the name of Benham Rise in the future. “We have done it in the West Philippine Sea,” he said, referring to islands being claimed in the disputed South China Sea.