TAGUIG CITY – Tiniyak ni Energy Sec. Alfonso Cusi na hindi makokompromiso ang soberanya ng bansa kasabay ng inaasahang pagsisimula ng exploration activities sa West Philippine Sea.
“While we are protecting our territories, the DOE is trying to work together with the DFA on how we can continue exploration in the area,” ani Cusi nang humarap sa meeting ng Regional Peace and Order Council ng Region IV-B.
“We are doing this without compromising our sovereignty. That’s one thing we can assure you as we progress in our exploration on how to develop and utilize the resources there at the West Philippine Sea,” dagdag ng kalihim.
Si Palawan Gov. Jose Alvarez ang chairman ng council, habang designated cabinet officer para Regional Development and Security ng Mimaropa si Cusi.
Kung maalala, nilagdaan nina Foreign Affairs Sec. Teodoro Locsin at Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi ang isang memorandum of understanding o kasundan para sa joint exploration noong November 2018.
Sa ilalim nito magkasamang mananaliksik ang mga Pilipino at dayuhang Chinese sa nasabing bahagi ng karagatan at maghahati sa madidiskubreng resources. Una nang iminungkahi dito ang hatian na 60-percent sa estado at 40-percent sa Beijing.
Ang China National Offshore Oil Corporation ang magsisilbing representative ng Beijing gagawing joint exploration activity.
Nagpasalama si Cusi sa Western Mindanao Command ng Armed Forces of the Philippines dahil sa mahigpit na pagbabantay nito sa mga teritoryo sa kanlurang bahagi ng bansa.
“We thank our uniformed people, the WESCOM, for keeping watch in that area and for protecting our territories.”
