(Eagle News) — For Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr., it matters who drafted the agreement for Beijing and Manila to jointly explore waters inside the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone.
Locsin made the statement in a Twitter post on Wednesday, Nov. 21, after Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said “it doesn’t matter who drafted it”–whether China or the Philippines—for as long as the Philippine side goes over it.
Panelo issued the statement after opposition senators sought for a Senate inquiry into the matter.
“A framework or architecture for gas and oil in our part of the sea demands the draft be MINE…MIO…FILIPINO,” an apparently irked Locsin said.
On Tuesday, Nov. 20, President Rodrigo Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding for gas and oil development cooperation.
