‘Philippines should proceed with West Philippine Sea exploration without China’
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines should proceed to explore and develop the oil and gas in the West Philippine Sea, similar to the action of its neighbors who were able to assert their sovereign rights over their waters and completed drilling even without the benefit of an Arbitral Award and defense treaty, former foreign affairs secretary Albert del Rosario said yesterday.
Del Rosario made the statement after Minister Liu Jianchao of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and former ambassador to Manila, declared during his visit on Aug. 28 that China and the Philippines are ready to continue negotiations on oil and gas development in the West Philippine Sea, which includes Reed Bank.
According to Del Rosario, the 2016 Award under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) categorically held that, “under international law, the West Philippine Sea, including Reed Bank, exclusively belongs to Filipinos, and no one else.”
He stressed that under international law “Filipinos do not need China’s consent or permission to explore and develop the oil and gas in the West Philippine Sea.”
“The question, therefore, is: what is there to talk about, in terms of exploring and developing the natural resources in the West Philippine Sea, when it is clear that the West Philippine Sea exclusively belongs to Filipinos?” Del Rosario said in a statement.
Under international law, China has zero claim on the West Philippine Sea, but Beijing continues to claim it by law and by force of arms.
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“Filipinos have every right to explore and develop the oil and gas in the West Philippine Sea, including Reed Bank, without interruption or harassment from other countries,” he added.
Del Rosario, who led the country in bringing the case against China before an arbitration court, warned that negotiating with China for oil and gas exploration in the West Philippine Sea will diminish Philippine laws and rights, and that it is a crime of treason.
“Any talk by Philippine officials that will diminish our laws and the rights of Filipinos under the 2016 UNCLOS Award – would be treason in the highest order,” Del Rosario said. “Negotiating with China will diminish Philippines laws and the rights of Filipinos under the 2016 UNCLOS Award – would be treason in the highest order.”
With the increasing energy prices, he said political will is needed to enforce the Philippines’ rights over the oil and gas in the West Philippine Sea, so that the country will be able to benefit from new energy sources.
“The Philippines should proceed to explore and develop the oil and gas in the West Philippine Sea, despite threats and harassment from China,” Del Rosario said.
He cited the examples of Indonesia and Malaysia for sending their drilling ships last year in their respective waters.
“Despite warnings and harassment from China, our neighbors proceeded with, and completed their drilling,” Del Rosario said.
“Malaysia and Indonesia, whose waters are also claimed by China, were able to assert their sovereign rights over their waters, without the benefit of an UNCLOS Award and a mutual defense treaty with the US, like the Philippines,” he said.
Del Rosario urged President Marcos to find the political will and explore new energy sources to support the country.
“We hope to see this political will in the person of our new president, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who promised our countrymen that he will protect our country’s sovereign rights as embodied in the 2016 UNCLOS Award,” he said.
He noted that Filipinos have every right to explore and develop the oil and gas in the West Philippine Sea, including Reed Bank, without interruption or harassment from other countries.
The legitimate pathway for Chinese participation in this endeavor, Del Rosario said, is for China to acknowledge that the natural resources of the West Philippine Sea belong to Filipinos, and allow Chinese companies to submit to Philippine laws in the exploration and development of natural resources in the West Philippine Sea.
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