Former Bayan Muna Party-list Representative Neri Colmenares cautioned Tuesday that the proposed Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) 2.0 between the Philippines and China could once again be contested before the Supreme Court if it fails to protect national interests.
Colmenares said his group is prepared to file a petition should the agreement prove disadvantageous to the country. He recalled that JMSU 1.0, signed under former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was struck down by the Court for placing the Philippines at a disadvantage.
Currently under study, JMSU 2.0 seeks to advance oil and gas exploration in the West Philippine Sea. Colmenares stressed that the government must avoid repeating the flaws of the earlier arrangement.
He argued that the state should lead exploration efforts to ensure Filipinos benefit directly, citing the Malampaya project where foreign firms Shell and Chevron reportedly earned more than the government.
He further pointed out that the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) has the expertise to manage exploration, insisting that any joint undertaking must grant Filipinos majority ownership—at least 60 percent—to secure national gains.