Group vows to oppose oil exploration with China

Monday, August 29, 2011

MANILA -- Bayan Muna party-list group on Monday vowed to block the joint exploration planned between the Philippine Government and China-owned Sino Petroleum Corporation in the disputed Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea.

“We will again try to block this new sell out of our sovereignty and stop this treasonous plan of the current government,” Bayan Muna Representative Neri Colmenares said in a press statement.

Bayan Muna party-list also urged the Supreme Court to immediately resolve its petition challenging the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) agreement with China and Vietnam. During the term of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, the JMSU allowed Vietnam and China to explore areas within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

“We provided China as well as Vietnam with valuable intelligence and data on the location of our oil and natural gas reserves in the Spratlys. This information led China to be more aggressive in putting up structures in the area…While the AFP is asking for billions of pesos to modernize their equipment ostensibly using the Spratlys dispute as basis, the DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) is working to give intelligence information to China. This is treason!” Colmenares said.

DTI Undersecretary Cristino Panlilio earlier said the project is part of the $2-billion investment package the Philippine delegation is expected to take home from President Benigno Aquino III’s visit to China this week.

Sino Petroleum Corporation, which has reportedly agreed to conduct the oil exploration “under Philippine laws”, is prepared to invest over $1 billion for oil exploration alone. (Kathrina Alvarez/Sunnex)