PRESIDENTIAL spokesman Harry Roque on Thursday said the Supreme Court made a “regrettable mistake” when it ruled the local government of Palawan should not get a share of revenue from the Malampaya gas project.
In an online briefing, Roque said the location of the Malampaya gas project should be considered within the jurisdiction of the provincial government of Palawan, which will entitle it to a cut from the Malampaya revenue.
“For me it is strange that there is an area that pertains to the national government, which is not part of the local government. So who will exercise jurisdiction there [Malampaya project]?” Roque said.
“In my opinion, with all due respect to the Supreme Court, the decision was wrong,” he said.
He clarified he was not stating the Palace position, but “speaking as counsel.”
Roque served as the legal counsel of the Palawan local government unit (LGU), when it petitioned to get a 40-percent share of government revenue from Malampaya natural gas facility.
He said they still have a pending motion for reconsideration before the High Court on the matter.
“It is not certain if there is already a decision [on the petition] because if there was already a decision, my [law] office will inform me . . . Since there is no decision, there is still hope [that the SC will rule in favor of the Palawan provincial government],” Roque said.
Even if the SC affirms its previous decision, however, Roque said there are still other means for the Palawan government to eventually get its share from Malampaya.
Among the options, he said, is for Congress to define which areas in the country should be appended to the municipality of Kalayaan in the Palawan Spratly Group of Islands and its nearby continental shelf.
He said the issue should be resolved as soon as possible since there is another joint exploration for possible gas deposits in Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea, which is also located near Palawan.
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