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Bayan Muna vs. Macapagal-Arroyo

BAYAN MUNA PARTY-LIST REPRESENTATIVES SATUR C. OCAMPO AND TEODORO A. CASIÑO, ANAKPAWIS REPRESENTATIVE CRISPIN B. BELTRAN, GABRIELA WOMEN'S PARTY REPRESENTATIVES LIZA L. MAZA AND LUZVIMINDA C. ILAGAN, REP. LORENZO R. TAÑADA III, AND REP. TEOFISTO L. GUINGONA III, PETITIONERS, VS. PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL­-ARROYO, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY EDUARDO R. ERMITA, SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, PHILIPPINE NATIONAL OIL COMPANY, AND PHILIPPINE NATIONAL OIL COMPANY EXPLORATION CORPORATION, RESPONDENTS.

G.R. No. 182734 | 2023-01-10

D E C I S I O N
 
GAERLAN, J.:
 
Before Us is an original action for certiorari and prohibition[1] assailing the constitutionality of the Tripartite Agreement for Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking (JMSU) in the Agreement Area in the South China Sea By and Among China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and Vietnam Oil and Gas Corporation (PETROVIETNAM) and Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC).[2]

At the core of the controversy is Section 2, Article XII of the 1987 Philippine Constitution (the 1987 Constitution) which mandates that the exploration, development, and utilization (EDU) of natural resources shall be...