AFP chief orders new Wescom head to protect West Phl Sea

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan, Philippines – Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Emmanuel Bautista yesterday ordered the new leadership of the Western Command (Wescom) to safeguard the country’s maritime domain in the West Philippine Sea.

Bautista issued the directive after he installed Maj. Gen. Rustico Guerrero as new Wescom commander, vice Lt. Gen. Juancho Sabban, who retired yesterday as Wescom commander after 39 years of military service and upon reaching the military’s mandatory retirement age of 56.

“Pursue your mandate as protector of the people and the sovereignty and integrity of the state,” Bautista told Guerrero as he enjoined Wescom’s men and women to continue conducting Security Sector Reform Initiatives (SSRI) being enforced by the AFP.

Lauding Sabban for his efforts in maintaining the country’s credible defense posture against threats to the country’s sovereignty, Bautista said that he is expecting the same from Guerrero and his men.

Despite the meager Wescom air and naval assets, Sabban stood up against the forces of other states with claims over the Spratly Islands by securing the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and regime of islands in the disputed archipelago.

Sabban said yesterday that he was leaving Wescom – his first area of assignment after graduating from the Philippine Military Academy in 1978 – with resounding success.

Sabban said that under his leadership, Wescom was able to send a very clear message to China that it would not back down in protecting the Philippines’ territorial integrity.

“When we were doing exploratory seismic operations in the West Philippine Sea, some foreign vessels tried to shoo them away, saying that it was their territory. But we came back with our own assets to assure the explorers, the oil companies, that we are here to provide them security and for them to continue with their exploration of our own natural resources,” Sabban said.

Guerrero vowed to continue and pursue with vigor what Sabban did as Wescom commander.

“I shall continue, in coordination with the various stakeholders, with vigor in performing our mandate of ensuring the safety of the people and ensuring the integrity and sovereignty of the state,” Guerrero declared.

He also said that he would do what is best for the Philippines in dealing with its territorial row with China and other countries claiming territories in the West Philippine Sea.

Guerrero’s baptism of fire

On his first day as Wescom commander yesterday, Guerrero was immediately confronted with China’s announcement that it was deploying its biggest maritime patrol ship in the West Philippine Sea.

A Chinese newspaper said that Yuzhen 312 had left Guangzhou and sailed to the South China Sea to safeguard the interest of Chinese fishermen there.

A senior Wescom official said that once the Chinese maritime ship enters the country’s exclusive economic zone, this would be immediately relayed to the Department of National Defense and the Department of Foreign Affairs for proper guidance.

“We have surveillance planes monitoring the activities in the West Philippines Sea,” the official said.

“It doesn’t mean we will go there to fight. We have our rules of engagement. Once we monitored their presence in our territorial waters, we are obliged to report this to higher authorities for possible filing of a diplomatic protest,” the official added.