Carpio: PH should immediately send ships to secure Reed Bank

CNN Philippines

A former Supreme Court Justice says, the government must act now in securing Reed Bank which reportedly holds the most oil and gas reserves in the West Philippine Sea.  Eimor Santos reports.   Visit our website for more #NewsYouCanTrust: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/  Follow our social media pages:  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnnphilippines/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines

Transcript

00:00 With the looming end of the commercial operations of the Malampaya gas field, the source of

00:06 natural gas for Luzon power plants, former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio

00:12 Carpio says the Marcos administration shouldn't waste time in exploring alternatives.

00:18 These include the Reed Bank or Recto Bank, an underwater reef in the West Philippine

00:23 Sea that is rich in oil and gas.

00:26 It's part of the Philippine EEZ being claimed by China.

00:30 We should be sending our survey ship and drill ship already to Reed Bank, accompanied by

00:35 our Navy.

00:36 At the same time, we should be conducting joint patrols with the US.

00:40 This has been the formula followed by Malaysia and Indonesia, and they were successful.

00:45 Our power rates will go up by 50 percent at least if we have to import.

00:51 Under Service Contract No. 72, Businessman Mani Pangilinan's PXP Energy is the contractor

00:57 for Recto Bank.

00:59 It says it's ready to drill but needs security.

01:03 They need protection from the Philippine government because they know that if they are not protected,

01:09 then the Chinese Coast Guard will just shove them away.

01:13 Carpio says the country must not give in to China's intimidation.

01:18 When Indonesia sent its survey and drill ship to the Natunas, China did the same thing.

01:24 China said there will be war.

01:27 We will take action.

01:28 But when it actually happened, it cannot do anything because the US aircraft carrier and

01:35 the US warships were there.

01:38 Senator Francis Tolentino, chairman of the Special Committee on Philippine Maritime and

01:42 Admiralty Zones, calls for economic alliances.

01:46 He says easing economic restrictions in the constitution might help.

01:51 Convert the existing alliances with the United States, Australia, Japan as an economic alliance

01:59 that would pave the way for the exploration of whatever seabed minerals and resources

02:07 can be generated from that area.

02:11 The Philippines and China entered initial talks for joint exploration, but Tolentino

02:16 says this may not progress now amid rising tensions.

02:20 The stage we are in right now, there might be mistrust.

02:25 President Marcos himself admitted the need for a paradigm shift.

02:29 Tolentino defers to the executive but says our public diplomacy is working.

02:35 Not just being transparent, but making other nations realize that the Philippines is on

02:41 a high moral ground.

02:43 Our allies are increasing because we are showing that we are doing the right thing.

02:48 Amor Santos, CNN Philippines.

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