Philippine court voids oil exploration pact involving China

By JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — The Philippine Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional a 2005 pact by China, the Philippines and Vietnam to jointly explore for oil in the disputed South China Sea. The decision by 12 of the court’s 15 justices voided the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking agreement by state-owned companies in the three nations, which are among Asian countries locked in decades-long territorial disputes in the busy waterway. The court ruled that the agreement violated the constitution by allowing oil companies in China and Vietnam to undertake joint oil exploration in Philippine waters. The charter specifies that “the exploration, development and utilization of natural resources shall be under the full control and supervision of the state.”