(Eagle News) — The Palace hit back at Vice President Leni Robredo and former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, calling their remarks about the memorandum of agreement on oil development inked between the Philippines and China “premature, baseless and unfair.”
According to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, Robredo and Morales may not have read the MOU itself, noting that “they anchor their comments merely on media reports, and not on the actual document itself, which the Palace released to the public….”
“Sadly, disappointment comes to mind as expectations for their being trained in the law have not been reached. Legal minds are not only analytically exacting but judicious as well,” he said.
Panelo said that in the first place, the MOU “does not create rights or obligations under international or domestic law which may delineate our territory or sovereign rights,” quoting a line from the MOU itself.
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi had said the MOU was merely an “agreement to agree” on joint oil and gas exploration, which means that both countries would not immediately engage in oil exploration in waters that include the disputed West Philippine Sea, as believed by deal critics.
As such, Panelo said “the apprehensions of Mmes. Robredo and Carpio-Morales are.. more imaginary than real.”
Robredo called for transparency in the country’s deals with China, including the MOU.
Morales, on the other hand, implied there was “treason from within” in the West Philippine Sea dispute.
Several personalities, however, defended the MOU, with Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario saying it does not betray the country’s interests.
