PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte, who earlier hinted on sending gray ships at the disputed waters once foreign countries start extracting oil at the West Philippine Sea, just might be interested to hear that China has long been drilling for oil in an area well within the territorial jurisdiction of the Philippines.
No less than Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi admitted that petroleum activities are ongoing in an uncontested portion of the West Philippine Sea.
Cusi however said that they may not be able to prevent the operation and that the most that his department can do is to make sure that only government-sanctioned oil exploration companies may “exploit” the Philippine waters.
Duterte earlier said there is little the Philippines can do about Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea adding that he only be sending military ships to the area if China moves to drill for oil or mine for minerals there — “We want to remain friends. But when we start to mine, when we start to get whatever it is in the bowels of the China Sea…then by that time, I will send my ships there.”
“Should any foreign state engage in petroleum activities inside the Philippine petroleum jurisdiction, the DOE shall take the necessary steps to protect our licensees and preserve our resources. It shall defer to the sole prerogative of the president regarding any security option,” added Cusi who hinted at complying with options provided by the Department of Foreign Affairs on informal talks for oil and gas operation with China.
Existing laws, only the Philippine government, through its energy department, has the legal authority to grant, revoke or deny applications for license to drill in both land and water surfaces within its territory.
As early as March 7, Chinese vessels have been swarming in the territorial waters well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Not even numerous diplomatic protests filed by the DFA were able to drive the Chinese vessels away from shoals and reefs, which China insisted as part of their territory.
Duterte has maintained that insisting on Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea will mean war, a position that more than 500 members of the academe have disputed.