Philippine Lawmakers Want Policy Clarity Over Duterte's Maritime Mix-Up

Two lawmakers are seeking legislative inquiries into Philippine policy on maritime territory. They are responding to what appeared to confusion by President Rodrigo Duterte about which sea Manila had accused China of illegally surveying. The Philippines lodged a diplomatic protest with Beijing, after a Chinese survey vessel was found moving back and forth over Benham Rise. The vast area is east of the Philippines, and was declared by the United Nations in 2012 as part of its continental shelf. Senator Antonio Trillanes, who's a staunch critic of Duterte, has filed a resolution urging the house foreign and defense committees to make remedial legislation to uphold Philippine sovereign rights.