‘Urgent task’ to get gas in Recto Bank amid WPS crisis, says Carpio

THE “urgent” task at hand is for the government to begin oil exploration and “get gas” in Recto Bank (Reed Bank) amid heightened tensions in the West Philippine Sea, said former Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio in a television interview Tuesday.

“We have no choice but to get the gas in Reed Bank. Our economy will suffer tremendously [if we do not do so],” said Carpio, one of the legal luminaries that helped the country win a 2016 arbitral ruling against China’s massive ninedash-line claim over the entire South China Sea. He said the Aug. 5 water cannon at- tack unleashed by Chinese ships on Philippine vessels was a “threat” to Manila “not [to] send our survey ships to Reed Bank.”

“I think that is connected. For me, it’s very clear that they are flexing their muscle to intimidate us not to send our survey and drilling ship to Reed Bank,” he said.

At present, the Malampaya gas field supplies 40 percent of the energy requirement of Luzon, Carpio said, and without fresh supply from Reed Bank, the country might resort to importation which he said is “very expensive.”

Makati to supervise 10 schools sans Taguig obtaining writ of execution

By Joel E. Zurbano

THE Makati City government will continue to manage and supervise the public schools in the 10 barangays covered by a Supreme Court decision on its boundary dispute with the City of Taguig.

In response to a query, Supreme Court Administrator Raul Villanueva said Taguig City needs to obtain a writ of execution to transfer jurisdiction over the 10 barangays from Makati City.

“When the said writ has been implemented by the Department of Interior and Local Government, then that is the