Senate urged: Review oil exploration deal
Opposition Sen. Francis Pangilinan urged the Senate on Saturday to conduct its own study of the oil exploration deal the Philippines signed with China last year.
“It may be best for the Senate to review such an agreement to determine its fairness to the Filipino people’s interest and future,” Pangilinan said.
60% for PH
Pangilinan made the remark a day after National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon said that his own study concluded that the deal was “more than fair” because China would spend for the costs while the Philippines would get 60 percent of the proceeds.
But the senator said such a deal must be scrutinized in the context of China’s previous actions in the West Philippine Sea “given the numerous instances of military and territorial aggressions and our people’s adamant position against these.”
39 diplomatic protests
Esperon himself said he had recommended 39 diplomatic protests against certain actions of Beijing, including the encirclement of Sandy Cay by more than 100 Chinese vessels and the passage of Chinese warships through Philippine waters without permission.
Probinsiyano Ako party list Rep. Jose “Bonito” Singson Jr. echoed Pangilinan’s position and cautioned the Duterte administration against compromising the country’s sovereign rights over its natural resources.
Singson said he found it suspicious that Esperon announced his views on the oil exploration deal days before the bilateral steering committee that would supervise the project was set to convene for the first time this week.
Esperon also announced that the government would lift its ban on foreign maritime research activities in Philippine waters.
“Were these [announcements] conveniently connected as they seem to be a quipro-quo arrangement to formalize the surrender of our sovereign rights as regards to unexplored natural resources, specifically our reported huge deposits of gas and oil in the Benham Rise?” Singson asked.
Mr. Duterte imposed the maritime research ban last year after Chinese research vessels were spotted in the Benham Rise.