CAGAYAN de Oro City 2nd District Rep. Rufus Rodriguez today lauded the statement of the G7 group of developed nations supporting the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidating China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea.
“We thank the G7 led by the United States for their expression of support. This will strengthen our position that China should respect the ruling won during the Aquino administration and should recognize our territorial sovereignty over several islets, waters and the resources in them that China is claiming,” he said.
He said the disputed islands, reefs and shoals are within the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) established under the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
He said the G7 statement is a rejection of China’s sweeping territorial assertion, and its continued occupation and militarization of several islands.
“Beijing should now abandon that assertion, which has no basis in international law,” Rodriguez stressed.
In the wake of G7’s support for the 2016 arbitral ruling, the Mindanao lawmaker reiterated his call for the Marcos administration to start exploring for natural gas and crude oil in Recto Bank or Reed Bank off Palawan, which is inside the country’s EEZ.
He said the Malampaya natural gas project, also in Palawan, was projected to continue yielding natural gas up to 2024, though the service contract for it has been extended up to 2039.
“It’s good if there are residual resources there. But we should start the Reed Bank project, which is estimated to hold a lot more natural gas and oil reserves than Malampaya,” he said.
He said the government should not be stymied by anticipating any reaction from Beijing.
“Otherwise, we will not be able to do any activity there,” he added.
In their statement, the G7 leaders said, “We reiterate that the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribune on July 12, 2026 is a significant milestone, which is legally binding upon the parties to those proceedings and a useful basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties.”
“There is no legal basis for China’s expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea, and we oppose China’s militarization activities in the region,” they said.
They “remain seriously concerned about the situation in the East and South China Seas,” they said.
China has a similar dispute with Japan over the Shenkaku group of islands in the East China Sea.
