Phl won’t confront China ships

MANILA, Philippines - Chinese ships have again intruded into Philippine territory. What does the government do?

Instead of confronting the intruders, the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is limiting itself to monitoring the activities of the Chinese warships and surveillance vessels that have taken up positions around Ayungin Reef in the Kalayaan Island Group in Palawan.

“Our task at the moment is to support the peaceful resolution of our conflict in the Kalayaan Island Group so the AFP supports the diplomatic actions or protest by our government,” said Maj. Ramon Zagala of the AFP Public Affairs Office.

Zagala was referring to the protest filed by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) against the presence of Chinese warships and vessels inside the country’s territorial waters.

Ayungin is considered vital since it is along the supply route from mainland Palawan to Kalayaan town in Pag-Asa Island. The reef is located near the Chinese occupied Panganiban (Mischief) Reef that now serves as China’s forward base for its warships. 

The DFA said there are two Chinese Marine Surveillance vessels, a warship, and 30 fishing vessels around Ayungin.

DFA spokesman Raul Hernandez stressed no other state except the Philippines is entitled to assert sovereign rights over Ayungin Shoal and its waters under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

He said the presence of Chinese ships in the area is “China’s strategy to project its 9-dash line claim over the whole of South China Sea.”

The DFA emphasized Ayungin Shoal is part of Philippine territory.

China has not responded to the diplomatic protest lodged by the Philippines last May 10.

“We are assessing our options. No one should doubt our resolve to defend what is ours in that area,” Hernandez said.

“This intrusion is provocative and illegal... (and) which according to UNCLOS and international law is illegal and has no basis,” Hernandez added.

On the other hand, Marine Col. Edgard Arevalo, Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, said there are no reports of numerous Chinese warships in Ayungin.

He said the defense and military leadership are abreast of the current situation in the area.

“We have not monitored a number of vessels to be construed as mustering (in the area),“ he said.

In the case of Ayungin, Arevalo said the Navy has boots on the ground guarding it. He said the troops on forward deployment in the area continue to monitor developments in its periphery round the clock.

“The same is true with other Navy-occupied territories in the West Philippine Sea,” Arevalo said, pointing out that the Navy’s actions in the area are all based on inter-agency and multi-lateral consultations between and among agencies of government. –  Pia Lee-Brago