April 12, 2026 — 1Sambayan, a political organization founded by former Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio, outlined its position on potential agreements involving oil and gas exploration, development, and utilization (EDU) in the West Philippine Sea.

The group stated that any agreement with a foreign state or corporation covering resources within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone must comply with specific conditions to ensure consistency with Philippine law and established legal rulings.

First, 1Sambayan said any agreement must explicitly recognize that oil and gas resources belong to the Philippine State.

Second, it emphasized that all exploration, development, and utilization activities must be conducted through a Service Contract framework under Presidential Decree No. 87, also known as the Oil Exploration and Development Act of 1972, as amended.

Third, the group stressed that such service contracts must be governed by Philippine law.

According to 1Sambayan, these conditions are necessary to align any agreement with the 1987 Philippine Constitution, the July 12, 2016 Arbitral Award, and the 2023 Supreme Court decision in Bayan Muna v. President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.

The statement comes amid ongoing discussions on possible energy cooperation in the West Philippine Sea, where legal, constitutional, and sovereignty considerations remain central to policy decisions.