What is the extent of our Philippine territory? (a prelude to the principle of territoriality)

Summary

An educational overview of the Philippine national territory as defined by the Constitution and international law, exploring how this territory dictates the scope of the principle of territoriality in criminal law.

Highlights

Introduction to Territoriality00:00:01

Defines the principle of territoriality in Philippine criminal law, which dictates that penal laws are only enforceable within the country's national territory.

Defining Philippine Territory00:01:00

Explains the constitutional definition of the national territory, including the archipelagic state doctrine, which treats the islands and the waters between them as a single sovereign unit.

Baselines and International Law00:04:04

Discusses Republic Act 9522 and the use of straight baselines, mandated by UNCLOS, to delineate the Philippines' maritime zones and territorial sea.

Territorial Disputes and History00:09:31

Examines the historical treaties (Paris 1898 and Washington 1900) regarding territories like Scarborough Shoal and the Spratlys, as well as the ongoing claim over Sabah.

Submarine Areas and Maritime Zones00:18:08

Details components of the territory such as the seabed, subsoil, and insular shelves, while clarifying that zones like the EEZ and high seas are not technically part of the national territory.

Sovereignty vs. Sovereign Rights00:26:26

Summarizes the distinction between absolute sovereignty over the national territory and the limited sovereign rights exercised in maritime zones like the EEZ and continental shelf.