Navy to deploy warship in Palawan

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy is deploying its South Korean-made warship in Palawan to help secure the country’s territorial integrity in the hotly disputed West Philippine Sea.

Navy chief Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad said BRP Conrado Yap, a Pohang-class corvette donated by the South Korean government, once deployed in Palawan will also be conducting maritime and sovereignty patrol over the Philippine Rise on the Pacific side.

“BRP Conrado Yap has just returned from Mindanao and she is currently preparing for her deployment in Palawan,” Empedrad said.

He added that the decision to deploy the torpedo-capable corvette in Palawan came after it was assessed that she can withstand the rough waters in the West Philippine Sea.

Aside from torpedo, BRP Conrado Yap, which arrived in the country from South Korea in August, is also equipped with big guns and can also perform electronic warfare.

“(BRP Conrado Yap) will patrol our maritime waters, whether it’s in the West Philippine Sea or Philippine Rise,” Empedrad said.

The Philippines has overlapping maritime and territorial claims with Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan in the South China Sea, which China is claiming almost entirely as part of its territorial domain.

On the other hand, the Navy’s Del Pilar class patrol vessels will be sent to Mindanao to secure the country’s porous maritime borders.

“We do need to have bigger warships both in Celebes and the Sulu seas for piracy and anti-kidnapping missions,” Empedrad said.