FACT CHECK: Proposed sea lane law doesn’t allow PH to attack trespassers in WPS

Claim: The Philippines may soon be able to launch missiles aimed at unauthorized vessels venturing into the West Philippine Sea under the proposed Archipelagic Sea Lane Law.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The YouTube video, posted on August 17, has 19,794 views, 272 comments, and 974 likes from a channel with 261,000 subscribers.

Supposedly quoting the statement from a video of Archipelagic Sea Lane Law author Senator Francis during an ANC interview, the narrator said that foreign vessels trespassing the Philippine exclusive economic zone could face missile strikes. 

The video was posted following reports of increased sightings of Chinese militia vessels in the West Philippine Sea and China’s growing aggressive actions in the contested region.

The bottom line: The YouTube video misinterpreted Tolentino’s statements in the cited ANC interview. In the same ANC interview, the senator said that the proposed Archipelagic Sea Lane Law aims to provide guidelines to better monitor and regulate foreign vessels traveling through the “three nautical highways” within the Philippine EEZ. 

Tolentino proposed the law as a way for the government, particularly the Philippine Coast Guard, to “focus the limited resources” it has on monitoring its territories. Neither Tolentino nor the bill’s provisions mention any rule allowing military forces to deploy missiles aimed at foreign vessels caught trespassing the Philippine archipelagic highways.

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De-escalating tension: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. continues to reiterate that the country is “not in the business to instigate wars” and has pushed to “de-escalate” tensions through nonviolent resistance.

The Philippine military forces said their rules of engagement fall “within the bounds of international law” in protecting the country’s sovereign rights. (AFP: Soldiers in Ayungin Shoal didn’t point gun at China Coast Guard) 

Rappler has already published several fact-checks about government policies in the West Philippine Sea:

• FACT CHECK: No categorical statement from China recognizing PH claims
• FACT CHECK: No China war threat vs Philippines amid rising tensions
• FACT CHECK: No Marcos order expelling China from West PH Sea
• FACT CHECK: PCG spox did not declare ‘all-out war’ vs China over West PH Sea

– Kyle Marcelino/Rappler.com

Kyle Marcelino is a graduate of Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program. This fact check was reviewed by a member of Rappler’s research team and a senior editor. Learn more about Rappler’s fact-checking mentorship program here.

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