The Manila Times
(UPDATE) THE Philippines’ bid to secure an extension of a United States sanctions waiver allowing continued imports of Russian crude could place the country within a broader geopolitical contest between Washington and Beijing, an international law expert warned Friday. Melissa Loja told The Manila Times that recent geopolitical developments — including sanctions regimes and military actions — suggest a coordinated US strategy aimed at limiting China’s access to global energy supplies. ”The measures are directed at China. It is part of US strategy to block every energy artery of China and starve its economy of oxygen,” Loja said, adding that similar approaches were seen in Venezuela and in discussions over Iranian oil exports. She cited remarks by US Sen. Lindsey Graham outlining a strategy involving Iranian oil, particularly during the February 2026 escalation involving Tehran, as part of efforts to restrict China-linked energy flows. Loja said the Philippines could become a “casualty” of this shifting energy landscape, noting that Washington may pressure allies, including Manila, to rely more heavily on US oil exports. ”The US will simply tell us to purchase oil from them. Our only excuse would be that US exports will not be enough to supply the world or that not enough will reach us before our 60-day supply runs out,” she said, adding that national security exemptions could be invoked to justify continued diversification of supply sources. Her remarks came after Energy Secretary Sharon Garin confirmed that the Philippines had formally requested the US extend a sanctions waiver permitting continued purchases of Russian crude. The request followed disruptions in global oil supply triggered by the ongoing conflict involving Iran and the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for about 30 percent of the Philippines’ crude imports. Garin said the Department of Energy, in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs, had transmitted the request through the Philippine Embassy in Washington and was awaiting a response. The country’s lone refinery, operated by Petron, recently secured about 2.5 million barrels of crude, while around 4 million barrels of shipments were canceled amid the crisis. Washington had earlier allowed limited transactions involving Russian oil already in transit until April 11 to stabilize global markets. Loja also flagged the rise of “bunkering” — a high-seas fuel transfer practice she described as a channel used to circumvent sanctions. ”Russian oil is reportedly traded mainly through bunkering, and the buyers are not ordinary fishermen,” she said, noting that such transactions often fall outside formal monitoring systems. She raised the possibility of regional responses, suggesting the Association of Southeast Asian Nations could explore temporary mechanisms to manage or regulate such activities amid supply constraints. Loja also stressed the importance of securing special licenses to protect Philippine and foreign firms operating locally from secondary sanctions involving Russia or Iran, including financial restrictions on assets, credit and insurance. ”These are not the primary sanctions but secondary sanctions, including asset, credit and insurance squeeze,” she said, warning of potential financial exposure if compliance measures are not met. The government, meanwhile, said it is exploring alternative suppliers including the US, Colombia, Canada, Brunei and India as part of efforts to diversify its energy mix. Despite these measures, officials acknowledged that the country’s petroleum buffer remains limited at roughly 50 days of supply, leaving the Philippines exposed to prolonged disruptions in global energy flows.
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