President Rodrigo Duterte’s tough stance on Benham Rise, or the so-called the Philippine Rise, was well ground amid threats, according to Buhay Party-list Rep. Joselito Atienza. “The entire 13 million hectares of Benham is rightfully ours. In fact, the Navy and the Coast Guard should step up their patrol operations there to forcefully assert our exclusive rights over the region and its natural resources,” Atienza said on Sunday.

Araja, R. (2018, March 5). Du30 stand on Benham well-grounded - Atienza. Manila Standard, p. A3.