(Eagle News) – Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said that the existing Vietnamese-Chinese setup in joint exploration and development could be a model for a possible Philippine-China joint exploration on the disputed South China Sea.
He said on Monday, March 5, that the Philippines could follow the setup of the two countries in jointly exploring the body of water.
Vietnam has claims in the area, which China claims almost entirely.
According to Roque, the exploration is done through Petro Vietnam and China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), a Chinese-owned state corporation.
Other countries also have joint explorations, such as ONGC India and Petro Vietnam in parts of the South China Sea; Iceland, Norway and China’s CNOOC for oil and gas exploration; CNOOC and Shell Petroleum New Zealand; Indonesia and CNOOC; and Oil Field Services, Brunei, CNOOC and Petroleum Brunei.
“All these joint exploration agreements mean that if ever we enter into a joint exploration and development agreement, it wouldn’t be the first in the world,” Roque said.
According to Roque, a joint exploration with China on the West Philippine Sea was also constitutional.
He said in La Bugal vs Ramos, for instance, the Supreme Court, voting 10-4, ruled that foreigners can explore the country’s mineral resources in inland territory.
“And that is the decision of the court. How much more in an area where there (are) only sovereign rights,” he said, referring to the South China Sea.
Roque, however, clarified that the country has so far not ventured into a joint exploration with China.
According to Roque, a bilateral treaty between the states must be signed first if this was to take place.
“If we enter in an agreement, we’ll have to spell out the respective rights and obligations of the countries by way of a compromise…So they contract as sovereign equals. They observe the principle of equality under international law,” he said.