MANILA (Philippine Daily Inquirer/Asia News Network): “It’s a game of chicken and we’re losing,” maritime expert Jay Batongbacal (pic) said on Monday (April 18) after the Department of Energy (DOE) ordered the suspension of oil exploration activities in the West Philippine Sea on April 6.
The order came a month after President Rodrigo Duterte, during a public address, said the country had no choice but to abide by a supposed joint exploration deal with Beijing to avoid conflict, and that someone “from China” had reminded him of this upon learning of other companies’ planned activities in the area.
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