“What is harmful about having a research ship there?”. National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon posed the question to reporters on Wednesday, defending the Government’s decision to allow China to send ships to Benham Rise, a resource-rich submerged landmass off the eastern coast of the Philippines. He said the Department of Foreign Affairs(DFA) was the authorized to allow entry of foreign vessels wanting to conduct marine research in the country's territorial waters and exclusive economic zones.

Avendaño, C. O. (2017, March 30). ‘What’s wrong with China sending research ships to Benham Rise?’. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A4.