AFP lagging in developing fortifications in Spratlys

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine military is lagging behind China, Vietnam and Malaysia in developing fortifications in the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea.

In a report, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said claimant countries – except Taiwan and Brunei – have strengthened fortifications in the islets and shoals in the Spratlys.

From one islet it began occupying in 1984, Malaysia now has troops on five islets.

On the Malaysian-occupied Swallow Reef, there is now a 1,200-meter runway as well as a naval station in an island known as Layang-Layang, which had been a dive resort for tourists.

The runway can reportedly accommodate heavy civilian and military transport planes. The airfield is only an hour’s flight from Kota Kinabalu and is considered vital to defending Malaysia’s claim.

“Its air bases located at Kota Kinabalu and Labuan could serve as staging points to launch their sophisticated F-18 and Russian-MIG 29 Fulcrum. This is not to mention that Malaysian destroyers have mid- and long-range surface-to-surface missile,” the military report read.

The report also cited Malaysian’s plan to procure new Sukhoi SU-35 aircraft from Russia.

The reports also said surveillance photos taken during routine patrols over the Kalayaan Group showed Beijing’s steady military buildup in the area despite its being a signatory to the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

Latest surveillance photographs taken in 2010 showed different machine gun emplacement as well as additional communications antennae. Naval vessels have also been anchored in Chigua Reef.

Military developments were also monitored in Cuarteron Reef, while Fiery Cross Reef is serving as communications and oceanographic research center.

“China has also intensified its military activities indicative of its improving military capabilities,” the report said.

Vietnam has also made impressive improvements in their occupied islands, with new communication equipment in Sin Cow (Rurok Island) installed last year. There are also single storey buildings in Allison Reef and in other sites such as Barque Canada Reef, Discovery Great Reef, Petley Reef, Pigeon Reef, and in East Reef.

New buildings have also sprouted in the Namyit Island.

Numerous structures – including bunkers – have also been detected in Central London Reef.

“Our structures still remain in a makeshift style with extremely depleted number of personnel,” the report stressed.

Defenders of Philippine-held territories stand no chance against the firepower of other claimants in the event of a shooting war, the report stated.

This is the reason why the Philippines relies very much on the diplomatic approach, according to the report.

The Western Command (Wescom), which has operational jurisdiction over the Spratlys, is urgently requesting immediate repairs of the runway on Pag-Asa island, the biggest of several islands with Filipino troops. The airfield, since its establishment in the 1970s, has never undergone major repair.

Wescom officials said repair and rehabilitation of Rancudo Air Field must be done as soon as possible so as not to allow soil erosion to inflict further damage on the runway.

“Repairs should be configured in such away that it can accommodate heavy transport aircraft as well as fighter planes comparable to that in Lagos Island of the Vietnamese and Swallow Reef of Malaysia,” a senior Wescom official who declined to be named said. – With Pia Lee-Brago