BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR

MABALACAT, Pampanga. — Deputy presidential spokesman Anthony Golez on Tuesday dared detained Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to file charges in court and substantiate his latest allegations that President Arroyo violated the Constitution when the country entered into a joint exploration agreement in Palawan with China.

Golez denied that the Philippine government agreed to a partnership with China’s state-owned China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) where it would have 51 percent ownership of the working interest in a 7,200 square-kilometers area in and around the Calamian Island in Palawan.

Trillanes on Monday said the government and China signed the "farm-in exploration agreement" on April 2, 2006 through Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corporation and CNOOC.

Golez said what was agreed on was a joint marine scientific research where all the data that would be gathered would be shared by the two countries equally.

Golez apparently was referring to the 2004 agreement between the same oil companies which covers the conduct of seismic surveys in the disputed Spratlys in the waters west of Palawan.

Trillanes earlier also sought a probe into the agreement mentioned by Golez.

According to Trillanes, the agreement he was referring to covers an area in northeast Palawan. Trillanes said the area is covered by service contract No. 57, which means the work involved includes actual drilling for oil.

Golez also dismissed Trillanes’ claim that apart from violating a constitutional requirement of at least 60 percent Filipino ownership of any company or entity involved in the exploration, development and exploitation of natural resources, the President maybe liable for treason.

He said treason could be charged only if there is a war. "We are not in a war."

"Bring it to the court para hindi puro haka-haka ang nangyayari. Bring it to the court and alam mo sa ating Saligang Batas ang pinaka-importante sa ating Saligang Batas is kung sino ang nag-aakusa, sila ang magbigay ng pruweba para sa ganun umusad sa korte ang kaso," he added.