(Eagle News) – Vice-President Leni Robredo said it was unconstitutional to allow foreign vessels to fish in the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, supporting an earlier statement made by Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.
In a recent interview on GMA 7’s morning program, “Unang Hirit,” Robredo said that the country’s EEZ should be reserved for the enjoyment of Filipino citizens
She said that this provision in the Constitution was what had been violated by the President, and even if he would call her names, she would stick to this view.
“Ito kasi kahit na anumang name calling ang gawin natin, nandyan yung batas e. Nandyan yung Konstitusyon, nandyan yung mga batas na pinasa ng Kongreso. Hindi naman yan mababago, unless yung Kongreso yung magbago, unless baguhin natin yung Constitution,” she said.
She said she supported Carpio’s views regarding the unconstitutionality of the President’s move.
“Sa term pa lang, kaya nga tinatawag na exclusive economic zone, kasi yung ating Konstitusyon, 1987 Constitution, very specific yung probisyon ng batas, na yung exclusive economic zone for the exclusive use yun ng Filipino citizens,” Robredo stressed.
“Kaya pag sinabi mong papayagang mangisda doon yung hindi mga Pilipino, labag yun sa Konstitusyon,” she added.
Robredo said that her office, with the help of some private partners of her “Angat Buhay” program gave the 22 fishermen involved in the Recto Bank incident P50,000 each in cash.
She visited the fishermen on June 21, and said that she was not asking for media mileage when she visited them, but that she really wanted to know the needs of the fishermen.
“Ang pinaka-interes ko talaga, kumusta sila, ano yung mga problema sa pang-araw-araw. Ano yung kailangan,” she explained.
