'No halt to oil explorations in Muslim-claimed areas'

MANILA, Philippines -   Malacañang will not yield to the demand of a Muslim rebel group to suspend oil exploration in Mindanao areas identified as rich sources of gas by foreign companies. 

“We have no plans to suspend explorations,” Secretary Ricky Carandang told Palace reporters in a briefing yesterday in reaction to threats made by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), whose stronghold in Mindanao may have been affected by oil explorations. 

He said the Department of Energy under Secretary Rene Almendras had invited foreign and local companies to invest in oil and gas explorations in 12 offshore and three onshore areas, including the vast Sulu Sea in the south and western Palawan province. 

“Let’s just put this into context, we are importing 90 percent of our oil and gas requirements from other countries,” Carandang pointed out, justifying the government’s decision to allow oil and gas explorations in some areas in Mindanao. 

“If we can do anything to reduce the number of oil imports and perhaps produce it locally, I think the net effect of this will be positive for the economy,’” he stressed.

The MILF had earlier demanded the government suspend any planned oil explorations by foreign companies in areas the Muslim rebels have been claiming.

 It warned that energy projects in the south would only complicate the ongoing peace talks between the government and the MILF.

The MILF also called on prospective foreign companies not to take part in energy explorations in Mindanao, saying that doing so would deprive the Muslim minority of natural resources.

The rebels also opposed the planned sale of two state-run hydropower plants in the region.

“The Philippines has become one huge corporation, there are vested interests everywhere,” rebel chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said. “We’re at the mercy of foreign companies.”

Government negotiator Marvic Leonen said that no accord with the Muslim rebels prohibits the government from pursuing development efforts.

Economic projects are meant to ease the plight of poor Filipinos, including Muslims in Mindanao, he pointed out. 

Iqbal, however, refused to say if his group would resort to violence if the government pushes through with the oil exploration, adding they would first exhaust all “diplomatic means.”