Conflict stops PH from exploring oil in WPS
The territorial dispute with China is preventing the Philippines from exploring oil and gas in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), Senator Sherwin Gatchalian pointed out yesterday.
Gatchalian, who chairs the Senate Committee on Energy, revealed it is definite that the WPS has proven natural gas reserves, but that the Philippines is stymied from developing the area because of the territorial conflict with China.
Although it lost to the Philippines its historical claim over most parts of the WPS through the United Nations Arbitration Court two years ago, China continues to bully the Philippines and even reclaimed islets and shoals in the Spratly island chain to house its air and naval forces, he said.
From these military bases, China has threatened to use its military might against planes and ships of the United States and other nations passing through its claimed territories.
The US and other countries are contesting China’s claim, adding that they have the right of innocent passage.
The Philippines had suggested that it and China could agree to joint exploration in the contested areas. If the Philippines could discover natural gas in the WPS this year, it would still take five to seven years to produce natural gas, Gatchalian said.
“Ang kagandahan niyan ay sarili natin, hindi na tayo mag-iimport, hindi na tayo bibili sa ibang bansa, sarili na natin yan (The good thing about it is that it would be ours, we don’t have to import because it is ours),” he told Senate reporters.
Alejano vs Cayetano
Meanwhile, Magdalo Partylist Rep. Gary Alejano yesterday accepted Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano’s dare for the lawmaker to be escorted to Sandy Cay to prove that the Philippines no longer has control over this area in the West Philippine Sea.
Alejano said he is willing to prove who between him and Cayetano is a liar when they declared publicly contradicting stories about which country has effective control of Sandy Cay.
Alejano has slammed the Duterte administration for allowing Chinese Coast Guard to patrol areas in the West Philippine Sea that are undisputedly under Philippine jurisdiction. (Ben R. Rosario)