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PH faces security challenges in joint exploration with China: analyst

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<figure class="op-interactive"><div id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1_Container"> <ivs-player id="IVS_ABS_Body_Video_1" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-vid="1427801" data-ivs-floating="1"></ivs-player> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/iframe-parent.js"></script> <script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script> </div></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="~//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="~//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div><p>MANILA - Security will be a bigger concern should a joint energy exploration deal between the Philippines and China push through, a professor on maritime affairs said Wednesday.</p><p>Jay Batongbacal, director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, said a deal on joint exploration may give China legitimate grounds to send more ships to disputed areas in the South China Sea.</p><p>&quot;The fact that China will have a stake in these 2 contracts means they now have a legitimate ground to send ships to establish a presence and even protect Chinese operations,&quot; he told ANC.</p><p>&quot;How do you handle presence of Chinese warship or law enforcement vessels escorting Chinese commercial vessels off Coron? That is something our Navy should prepare for,&quot; he added.</p><p>Meanwhile, Batongbacal also said 60-40 sharing on the proposed joint exploration is no doubt allowed by the Constitution, but he stressed that the real issue is how this will be implemented.</p><p>&quot;What&#x27;s important for us is there should be no acknowledgement on our part that they have any legal rights to the resources, that this agreement is being done purely in a matter of political accommodation and has no legal effects at all,&quot; he said.</p><p>Former solicitor general Florin Hilbay earlier warned the Philippines would waive its rights over the West Philippine Sea should it agree to a joint oil and gas exploration with China.</p><p>&quot;That&#x27;s rather blatantly unconstitutional. It&#x27;s against the decision in the Philippines vs. China, which declares that we don&#x27;t have any overlapping entitlements with China over the West Philippine Sea. Which means that the potential oil and gas, such as Reed Bank, is entirely and exclusively ours,&quot; Hilbay told ANC.</p><p>&quot;The moment you enter into some kind of an agreement such as co-ownership, you are recognizing the right of the co-owner, which will result in the waiver of the decision in Philippines vs China.&quot;</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/05/26/18/joint-exploration-would-waive-ph-rights-over-west-philippine-sea-hilbay">Joint exploration would waive PH rights over West Philippine Sea: Hilbay</a></li>	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/focus/03/05/18/china-must-recognize-ph-ownership-of-resources-before-joint-exploration-carpio">China must recognize PH ownership of resources before joint exploration: Carpio</a></li></ul><p>Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano has said the administration is working on a framework for possible oil exploration with China where companies can work on a commercial level without damaging the country&#x27;s claims.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/08/07/18/ph-against-unilateral-exploitation-of-south-china-sea-cayetano">PH against unilateral exploitation of South China Sea: Cayetano</a></li></ul><p>Cayetano assured that the framework will not go beyond the Philippine Constitution and follow as a standard the Malampaya 60-40 sharing of revenues for the Philippines.</p><p>Manila is now racing to tap oil resources in the disputed sea as the Malampaya natural gas field off Palawan can only supply gas up to 2029.</p>

<p>Security will be a bigger concern should a joint energy exploration deal between the Philippines and China pushes through, a professor on maritime affairs said Wednesday.</p>

Security will be a bigger concern should a joint energy exploration deal between the Philippines and China pushes through, a professor on maritime affairs said Wednesday.