Francis Tolentino, principal author of the Philippine Maritime Zones Law, today rejected claims by Chinese academics that Batanes falls under the sovereignty of the People’s Republic of China through Taiwan.
Calling the claims — which surfaced after a June 30 symposium in Guangzhou — a case of “lawfare” and historical revisionism, Tolentino said sovereignty is not decided in a conference room.
“Batanes is part of the Philippines and will always be,” Tolentino said. “Sovereignty is proven by effectivités — the continuous, peaceful, effective exercise of state authority. The Philippines has shown this for generations: governance, public services, courts, elections, and investment in the Ivatan people.”
Tolentino also pointed to the historical and constitutional record: the 1935 Constitution fixed Batanes’ northern boundary at 21° 25′ North, anchored by the 1898 Treaty of Paris, the 1900 Treaty of Washington, and the 1930 US-UK Convention.
He noted Batanes’ Ivatan heritage predates these treaties by centuries, and that Spain formally annexed the islands into the Philippine archipelago in 1783 under Governor-General José Basco y Vargas.
“These are not theories. They are facts of governance,” Tolentino said, warning that such academic claims often precede gray-zone tactics meant to destabilize the region. “We will not allow selective, revisionist interpretations to compromise our territorial integrity.”
Tolentino also directed the DOLE Batanes Provincial Office to prepare for Typhoon Inday, instructing the agency to ensure quick processing of assistance for affected workers once the storm passes. (NINO ACLAN)
