Everything is subject to change without prior notice with this President

Time is gold President Rodrigo Duterte is seizing opportunities from his recent meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping by immediately forming a team from the Cabinet to negotiate for joint exploration in the contested maritime region. MALACAÑANG PHOTO

A high-powered delegation was designated by President Rodrigo Duterte to represent the government in negotiations with China for the start of the long-stalled joint exploration in the contested West Philippine Sea (WPS).

During a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday night, the President designated Department of National Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and Department of Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi as members of the steering committee in the crucial talks with China.

Cusi previously bared that the 60-40 term for joint projects could be applicable to the contested areas. For areas clearly within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, however, like Service Contract 57 in Palawan, terms and conditions have yet to be determined.

“If the policy of Mr. Cusi as energy czar is to limit the exploitation to certain areas, then that is the policy of the government, unless overruled, altered or amended by the President without prior notice. Everything is subject to change without prior notice with this President,” Panelo said.

While the country draws up new strategies to address the maritime dispute with China in the WPS, Malacañang said the government in the meantime will explore other avenues of cooperation with the East Asian giant.

“Let’s go to the other areas of concern where we have no problem. Let’s pursue this and see how far we’ll go,” Panelo said in Thursday’s Palace briefing.

“Even if there is an impasse, there appears to be joint cooperation by both parties with respect to the joint exploration of oil and that is a good sign,” he added.

The Philippines and China have inked a memorandum of understanding on cooperation on oil and gas development during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Manila visit last year.

The document is the agreement between the two countries to step up talks for joint exploration in maritime areas in accordance with international law.

It, however, does not specify areas to be covered, but the Philippine side has previously offered a part of Recto Bank.

Recto Bank has been floated as a possible replacement for Malampaya, whose natural gas deposits are expected to run out in 10 years. It accounts for 20 percent of the country’s power supply.

Mr. Duterte has said that the Philippines must have a bigger portion of the exploration deal, but no definite sharing scheme has been finalized yet.

Chinese President Xi Jinping urged the speeding up of a binding Code of Conduct in the disputed WPS or South China Sea to be President Rodrigo Duterte’s “greatest legacy.”

Panelo, in a broadcast interview, said Xi made the pronouncement during the bilateral meeting with Mr. Duterte in Beijing last week when the issue was raised.

“The President of China said, ‘I really want that (Code of Conduct) to be crafted during your term because I want that to be your greatest legacy,’” said Panelo.

The Code of Conduct is being pushed in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as most of the claimant-countries are member-states.

Duterte earlier said the Philippines, as country-coordinator for ASEAN-China Dialogue, would continue to work together with ASEAN “for the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.”

China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea where ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam, as well as Taiwan, also have territorial claims.

The Code of Conduct is being pushed to prevent conflict from arising and govern activities in the disputed area.

Relatedly, Panelo clarified that Mr. Duterte did not apologize to Xi for bringing up the 2016 arbitral ruling favoring the Philippines during their meeting.

Recalling how the Chief Executive brought up the matter to Xi, he said the President was just courteous considering China’s current problem with Hong Kong.

“It’s courtesy, in diplomatic parlance,” Panelo pointed out.

He stressed that the two leaders maintained their position on the WPS issue, but agreed to “continue resolving the conflict peacefully.”

“’Meanwhile, there are areas of other concerns that we can agree on, let’s focus on that.’ Then came the joint exploration and President Xi said, ‘The steering committee should now make substantial program on that,’” he added.