Joint venture with China a threat to national security, against PH interest – Golez

From Update Philippines (Jul 26): Joint venture with China a threat to national security, against PH interest – Golez

Former National Security Adviser and former Parañaque City Representative Roilo Golez believes that a joint venture with China in West Philippine Sea is “against Philippine national interest and a threat to national security.”

He said “it will be a violation of the Philippine Constitution which states, Article XIi, Sec 2: The State shall protect the nation’s marine wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and exclusive economic zone, and reserve its use and enjoyment exclusively to Filipino citizens.”

He said negotiators may find ways to make the joint venture appear 60-40 in favor of Philippines, but through “cheating.”

“So why allow it at the outset when there is a big possibility of cheating?” he noted.

He added that China National Offshore Oil Corporation or CNOOC will most likely be the Chinese partner.

He said CNOOC is a giant state-owned entity which will technologically, politically, physically and financially dominate the Philippine partner.

“It will for sure bring in the infamous giant billion dollar oil rig Haiyang Shiyou 981 shown in photos here and will come escorted by big China Coast Guard ships for its “protection” and to bully the neighborhood,” Golez said.

He added that Chinese warships “will also be in the vicinity especially with Mischief Reef ready to host warships and combat planes.”

Golez also said Chinese vessels may “be frequenting Philippine ports for R & R. That will be a national security nightmare more costly than the oil revenue we can generate from the joint venture.”

“How can the Philippines monitor the production of the oil rig which expectedly will ship part of the production to China,” he added. “If the Chinese diverts the production to China, how does the Philippines monitor and control.”

“Finally, should the joint venture terminate or gets pre-terminated due to violations, how do we tell CNOOC to leave? Gegerahin natin?” he said.

https://www.update.ph/2017/07/joint-venture-with-china-a-threat-to-national-security-against-ph-interest/19417