Friday, March 14, 2008 Opposition sees Palace hand in blocking of Spratlys probe
OPPOSITION congressmen on Thursday accused Malacañang of blocking the investigation into the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) with China and Vietnam to put an end to the growing accusations of a sellout of the country's territorial claims in the South China Sea.
Nueva Ecija Representative Edno Joson, one of the sponsors of House Resolution 496, said the House leadership, particularly the committee on foreign affairs chaired by Cebu Representative Antonio Cuenco has once again succumbed to the dictates of the Palace.
"Almost all of the committee chairmen are from Lakas at Kampi (Kabalikat ng Malayang Pilipino) so no doubt about it. They want to put out the brushfire in the House," he said.
Before Congress adjourned for the Lenten break on Wednesday, Cuenco's panel canceled its initial hearing into the JMSU, which was scheduled on Thursday.
He said they have failed to inform the committee members three days beforehand as mandated by the rules.
Cuenco however admitted that he also wanted a "cooling off" period as the country's diplomatic relations with China hangs in the balance because of the controversy generated by the agreement.
Parañaque Representative Roilo Golez, principal sponsor of the resolution, said the technical reasons for the hearing's cancellation were obviously a mere alibi.
"I'm very upset that we're not going to hold this hearing because we're talking of national security and territorial integrity with respect to our archipelagic baselines," he said.
Golez has called for an investigation into the Spratlys deal, which allows China to undertake a seismic data acquisition which he said might have led to the Philippines' loss of valuable pieces of information about the disputed area.
China's People's Daily Online reported on November 20, 2005 that the China Oilfield Services Limited (COSL) had already completed the seismic data acquisition through its exploration ship codenamed Nanshai 502.
The JMSU, which was signed in 2005, involves the Philippine National Oil Co., the China National Offshore Oil Co. (CNOOC) and Vietnam Oil and Gas Corp. (PetroVietnam).
Malacañang has even formed a legal team to study whether to push through with the second phase of the JMSU following reports that President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo might have committed treason by allowing the joint exploration of disputed islands in exchange for loan agreements worth billions of dollars from China.
In a separate interview, Cuenco said he might file a substitute bill that would exclude the disputed Spratly islands and Scarborough Shoal from the country's territorial claim amid China's reported opposition to House Bill (HB) 3216.
Under HB 3216, the country's archipelagic baseline would include the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) and the Scarborough Shoal.
The Cuenco panel wants the bill, which is waiting for approval on third and final reading, to be recommitted to the committee for further deliberation, a move that needs a plenary approval.
Cuenco said he was not giving in to China's "pressure" because the Spratlys and the Scarborough Shoal would still be treated as mere "regime islands" under his substitute bill.
"We will pass this bill despite this objection. We are not going to yield to any kind of pressure. We'll not allow to be influenced by anyone," he said.
The Philippines has until May 2009 to inform the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) of the extent of its archipelagic boundary.
Chief presidential legal counsel Sergio Antonio Apostol said Congress should continue amending the law on the country's baselines instead of worrying over China's reported claims that it would create tension among claimant countries.
Apostol said it is the UN, which gave the Philippines the timeline of until May 2009 and that if China has a complaint, it should file it before the UN.
"We have to work for its passage by May 2009. Otherwise, other claimant countries on the Spratly islands would pursue ownership to what we own," he said.
"No, it will not create tension. Some of the disputed islands in the Spratlys is really ours. The President will back up the bill that would set the baseline territory of the country," he added.
Apostol said the Philippines is "not totally relying on China," although it has a "big relationship" with the said country, considering the concessions that the Philippine government obtained.
He said the Philippines also has good bilateral relationships with other countries like Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand. (WV/JMR/Sunnex)
