Presidential aspirant Senator Panfilo Lacson said he supports the Philippines entering into a joint venture agreement with China to develop the West Philippine Sea, as long as the 60-40 provision under the 1987 Constitution is maintained and followed.

Lacson said it is very crucial for the Philippines to maintain a “balance of power” in the region as he recognizes that the country is “militarily weak” compared to China.

But he doesn’t object to a joint exploration venture into the West Philippine Sea with China as long as the 60-40 provision recognizing the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the area is upheld.

“As long as they adhere to the Constitutional provision of 60-40, I am all for it. Why? Because if it’s 60-40, it shows we ‘own’ the area, we have sovereign rights over the area,” Lacson said during the forum organized by the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FEIP), Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FFCCCI), Cignal TV and The Manila Times on Saturday evening.

“If they would adhere to the 60-40 provision of the Constitution then I'm all for it. If not maybe we should go back and review our security situation,” the senator said.

He said studies and researches have pointed to the West Philippine Sea as a resource rich in natural gas and oil that could help address the country’s energy needs.

Lacson also noted that China has sent geologists to the West Philippine Sea as far back as 1968 “and that is why they are so interested in that area.”

But if China would not agree to the 60-40 rule, the Philippines can turn to its other allies, particularly those it has bilateral agreements with.

He pointed out countries like Australia and Japan, even the European Union (EU), have shown their willingness to patrol the area as they are interested to also ensure it is open to maritime trade.

“We have our mutual defense treaty with the United States, and I think, a potent weapon in our arsenal yet untapped: we have bilateral agreement with Australian, Japan, with other countries. The EU has expressed their willigness to patrol the area, because after all, foreign policy is always anchored in national interests and we cannot rely on these countries if they have no iterests or any other interest in that area,” the lawmaker said.

“But they have, because 10 to 12 percent of the maritime trade passes through that area. We should seize the opportunity that other countries are also interested in securing the area,” Lacson stressed.

“I have always emphasized, this that we are very weak militarily compared to China and the only way we can secure the area is to a balance of power. When I say balance of power, we rely on other countries as militarily strong as China,” the former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief reiterated.