Critics of PHL-China sea exploration are ‘closed-minded’ —Cayetano

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said critics who opposed a possible joint exploration of the West Philippine Sea with China are closed-minded and are doing so over ideological reasons.

"Ideological or napakasarado naman ng isip ng iba na ayaw man lang pag-isipan how we can do it with whoever," Cayetano told GMA News. “What? They’d rather that the Filipino people suffer na mataas ang presyo ng gasolina natin, na we use coal instead of natural gas sa mga power plant natin? Eh paano pag naubos na yung Malampaya?”

Malacañang said last week that Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea was one of the two areas being considered for a possible joint exploration with China.

The Recto Bank, also known as the Reed Bank, is believed to be rich in oil and gas reserves. The area could replace the Malampaya Field as the Philippines' main source of natural gas as the latter is due to run dry in less than a decade.

China is claiming almost the entire South China Sea, including the Reed Bank.

It has also refused to recognize the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated its claim over the entire South China Sea.

President Rodrigo Duterte had also said he will set aside the ruling in talks with China.

Cayetano, meanwhile, argued that the Philippines is left with only a few choices in tackling its territorial disputes with China.

“The first issue is not the legal. The first issue is practical. How do we check kung ano ang andun? So ngayon kung China ang mag-explore on their own, haharangin ng ating Navy ships. Kung tayo ang mag e-explore on our own, haharangin tayo ng navy ships ng China," he said. "So the practical way of doing it is having a joint scientific team to explore, then to share the information.”

He further argued that Duterte's administration will make sure that the joint exploration of the West Philippine Sea would benefit the Philippines more than China.

“We are not compromising, selling off anything here. Eventually, if there is a commercial deal or a joint development, not only will we follow Philippine law. It will be the same or better than what we gave sa Malampaya. So hindi mangyayari yung Malampaya 60/40, tapos eto net natin pagdating ng West Philippine sea lugi tayo. Hindi ma mangyayari 'yan,” Cayetano insisted.

As to the legal framework of a joint exploration, Cayetano said that Philippines and China would both implement own internal laws.

“The Philippines will make sure na iyong agreement namin, while acceptable to them, will follow Philippine law. The Chinese will make sure that acceptable sa atin, but it follows Chinese law. Kaya nga joint,” he explained.

As to why the Philippines appeared to be only dealing with China in the joint exploration and not with any other country, Cayetano said,“They (the West) won't! Because they won’t risk a war. We’ve already asked the others, 'Will you send your ships?' No."

"And they don’t [want to] get involved... for whatever reason ang Western countries payag lang sila sa freedom of navigation.” —DVM, GMA News