A military spokesman said Friday one of the Philippine Navy’s Hamilton Class Cutters was sent to Benham Rise “to conduct sovereignty patrol” on March 17

Major Bonifacio Arsena, Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) public information officer, said BRP Ramon Alcaraz ,the Navy’s second Hamilton Class cutter, left the Naval Forces Northern Luzon headquarters in San Fernando, La Union.

He did not say until when the ship will be at Benham Rise.

In a text message, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said regular patrol of Benham Rise will be done “partly” because a Chinese survey ship was monitored last year.

“The navy will henceforth regularly patrol Benham Rise partly due to past Chinese activities there but more importantly because it is part of our continental shelf and awarded to us by the UN,” Lorenzana said.

“Our next activity is to have the area surveyed to clearly determine its limits, depths, coral formations, etc.,” he added.

Benham Rise is located 250 kilometers east of Dinapigue town, Isabela province.

Lorenzana had said Benham Rise is a “very rich area” and the spawning area of yellow fin tuna.

“If you’re going to see Benham Rise on the map its area is almost as big as northern and central Luzon, it’s very big. Millions of hectares. So we will continue to study what will be the best way to develop that area for our needs,” he said.

Arsena said after returning from its patrol, the BRP Alcaraz will replenish its supplies before it can be deployed to continue regular sovereignty patrol in the area.

In a previous interview, Marine Col. Edgard Arevalo said the BRP Gregorio Velasquez, Auxiliary General Research (AGR-702) is the only ship capable of conducting survey and research in Benham Rise. Robina Asido/DMS