Hiling ng ilang senador na busisiin ang deal na papasukin ng Pilipinas at China sa joint exploration sa South China sea premature ayon sa Malacañang

Bukas ang Malakanyang sa plano ng senado na magsagawa ng imbestigasyon kaugnay sa potential deal sa oil and gas exploration kasama ang China sa mga pinagtatalunang teretoryo sa South China Sea.
Ito ang naging pahayag ng Malakanyang sa Proposed Senate Resolution No. 943 na inihain ni opposition Senators Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan at Antonio Trillanes IV na humihiling na isapubliko ang kasunduan sa pagitan ng China at Pilipinas kaugnay ng state visit sa bansa ni Chinese President Xi Jimping.
Ayon kay Presidential Spokesman Salvador Panelo masyado pang maaga ang hiling na ito ng mga senador dahil wala pa naman pinipirmahan anumang deal.
Iginiit din ni Panelo na ginagalang ng ehekutibo ang anumang congressional or legislative action ng Senado bilang co-equal branch ng gobyerno.
Tiniyak naman ni Panelo na magiging transparent ang Malakanyang sa kahit anumang kasunduan na papasukin ng Pilipinas kasama ang kahit anong foreign government.
“The Senate is free to conduct an inquiry in aid of legislation on a potential deal on oil and gas exploration with China.
Any demand for a release of documents pertaining thereto at this time, however, is premature and could be prejudicial to our country’s interests given that parties have yet to ink any agreement on the matter.
We assure that any agreement that we will enter into with a foreign government or entity would stand the judicial scrutiny of both countries and its constitutionality, if challenged, would be upheld.
We respect the Senate as an independent co-equal branch of government and welcome whatever congressional or legislative action its members may want to undertake. In the same manner, we likewise expect respect from them by allowing us to do our job as we perform activities which are rightfully within the scope of executive faculty.”
Ulat ni Vic Somintac