Malakanyang humihingi ng sapat na panahon bago ipakita sa publiko ang kabuuan ng nilagdaang MOU ng Pilipinas at China para sa Joint Cooperation for Development ng Maritime gas and oil sa South China Sea
Humihingi ng pang-unawa sa publiko ang Malakanyang kung hindi pa mailalabas ang kabuuan ng nilalaman ng pinirmahang Memorandum of Understanding sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at China kaugnay ng joint cooperation for development of marine gas and oil sa mga pinagtatalunang teritoryo sa South China Sea.
Sa inilabas na statement, sinabi ni Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi nais itong busisiin ng Senado lalo na ang grupo ng oposisyon at handa naman itong ipaliwanag ng kinauukulang ahensiya ng gobyerno partikular ng Department of Energy na kanyang pinamumunuan.
Ayon kay Cusi titiyakin niya na anuman ang kalalabasan ng MOU ay mapoprotektahan ang long term energy security ng bansa.
Ang binabanggit na Memorandum of Understanding sa Joint Cooperation for Development of Marine Gas and Oil sa South China Sea ay nalagdaan sa pagitan ng Pilipinas at China sa katatapos na State Visit ni Chinese President Xi Jinping sa Pilipinas.
Statement of Secretary Alfonso Cusi:
“The MOU signed with China provides a framework for any possible future cooperation, which may or may not include joint exploration between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea. I must emphasize that whatever the outcome of this MOU, the rights of existing service contract holders will be protected. I understand that there is great interest in the MOU signed with China. I would ask for everyone’s patience until the full details are ready to be made public. As the Secretary of Energy, my priority is safe-guarding our country’s long-term energy security. a component of this is developing new indigenous energy resources in the West Philippine Sea”.
Ulat ni Vic Somintac
