DOE seeks Cabinet cluster OK for West Philippine Sea oil exploration

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Energy (DOE) has asked the Cabinet security, justice and peace coordinating cluster to immediately allow oil exploration activities in the West Philippine Sea, Malacañang said yesterday.

“The survey was held in abeyance because of the decision of the Security, Justice and Peace Cluster or SJPC in the Cabinet,” acting presidential spokesman Martin Andanar said at a media briefing.

“The DOE already asked the SJPC to reconsider the decision and to immediately allow the survey,” he said.

Andanar said the DOE has sought reconsideration on the ground that “under international law, a geophysical survey is a perfectly legitimate activity in any disputed area.”

He said the DOE is still waiting for the decision on its request for reconsideration.

The DOE has directed listed upstream oil and gas firm PXP Energy Corp. to suspend exploration activities in its service contracts in the West Philippine Sea until it secures the go-signal from the SJPCC.

In a recent disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, PXP Energy said it received a DOE order dated April 6 “to put on hold all exploration activities for SC 75 and SC 72 until such time that the SJPCC has issued the necessary clearance to proceed.”

As this developed, reelectionist Sen. Risa Hontiveros expressed concern over the reported shadowing by a Chinese coast guard vessel on survey ships hired by a Philippine firm to conduct activities within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

“The Philippine ships have every right to be within our exclusive economic zone,” Hontiveros said in a statement.

“It is the Chinese vessels that have no right to follow Filipino ships. They are the ones that have to leave, not us,” she added in Filipino.

Hontiveros was reacting to an earlier report that a Chinese coast guard vessel shadowed survey ship Geo Coral and its support vessel Mariska G while they were conducting seismic survey activities off the coast of Palawan earlier this month.

The Norwegian-flagged Geo Coral and its support vessel were reportedly hired by gas firm PXP Energy Corp. to conduct a seismic survey on the area covered by Service Contract 75.

Hontiveros also expressed concern over the decision of the DOE to suspend all exploration activities amid China’s incursions and other hostile activities in the West Philippine Sea.

“Doesn’t that weaken our rights over our country’s own exclusive economic zone?” she asked. “The DOE’s suspension order makes it seem as though we are waiving our exclusive rights to our own waters.”

Meanwhile, United States Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin III met yesterday with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana at the Pentagon to discuss ways to continue to deepen cooperation under the US-Philippines alliance. This was the third meeting of the two defense chiefs.

The US Department of Defense said in a statement that Lorenzana and Austin affirmed the enduring nature of the alliance, as well as the vital importance of ensuring peace and stability in the South China Sea. – Pia Lee-Brago, Janvic Mateo