Press Release
March 14, 2008

Villar: Senate awaits JMSU, other documents on Spratlys deal

Senate President Manny Villar today welcomed the Palace announcement saying they will be providing Congress a copy of the agreement on the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) the country entered into with China and Vietnam in the Spratly Islands.

Malacañang's permission to allow access to records and dossiers on the Spratlys deal is a triumph too, for the people. It is honoring the citizens' right to information."

"We are glad the Executive decided to share this document and allow Congress to study it. The Senate will be awaiting its receipt, along with relevant documents on this exploration project. We hope they will be true to their word," Villar said.

Villar also expressed hope the Executive department will also decide to be cooperative in the Senate inquiry on the ZTE-National Broadband deal.

"I hope this gesture opens up to another and leads us to the truth on the broadband deal," he said. Earlier, Villar enumerated nine documents , along with the JMSU, that Malacañang should make public "for the purpose of allowing a free flow of information paving the way for a healthy debate in public policy and promoting transparency and accountability in government."

"Let them be assured that we will be respecting the confidentiality clause of the contract, if required," he said.

Villar learned today that Sergio Apostol, chief presidential legal counsel, said the Palace has allowed the Philippine National Oil Co.-Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC) to hand over a copy of the agreement to the House and Senate committees.

"We just hope the PNOC-EC will heed the directive soonest. We want to take advantage of the break and peruse the document," Villar said.

Villar, also the Nacionalista Party president, said Malacañang should not stop on the JMSU and should also make available the other relevant documents, namely:

1. Agreement for Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking in Certain Areas in South China Sea between RP and China, signed on Sept. 1, 2004 in Beijing

2. Tripartite Agreement for Joint Marine Scientific Research in Certain Areas in South China Sea among RP, China and Vietnam signed on March 14, 2005

3. Declaration on Conduct of Parties in South China Sea agreed upon by the countries of ASEAN standing as a bloc in dealing with China

4. The maps attached to the agreement, detailing the Spratlys and the South China Sea

5. The map, allegedly presented by the Department of Energy officials last Friday (March 7) to select Cabinet officials which is accordingly a revision of the one annexed to the pact with China

6. The opinion of the Department of Justice (DOJ) on the matter

7. Similar opinions and studies rendered by the DOJ on seismic undertaking between countries, including a DOJ opinion in 1990 by then Secretary Franklin Drilon covering RP and Australia

8. A list of all government officials and agencies involved in the negotiation, drafting and formulation of the existing agreement

9. Report of Phase I of the implementation of the JMSU

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