ACT: Did Duterte promise to remove ship from Ayungin?

MANILA, Philippines — With two past presidents having already issued categorical denials, former president Rodrigo Duterte is “the only one left that may have made the promise to China” to remove the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal, House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro said yesterday.

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and two sons of Joseph Estrada have denied that the former presidents made any commitment to remove the vessel from Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.

The late president Benigno Aquino III, she added, was unlikely to have made such a promise, as it was his administration that had successfully contested China’s massive maritime claim before the Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague. She said even President Marcos has disowned such a move.

Castro recalled that on May 6, 2021, Duterte called the country’s arbitral victory “a piece of paper that he can throw away in a trash bin.”

“Duterte said the ruling affirming the Philippines’ sovereign rights in its exclusive economic zone is just a piece of paper that led to nothing,” she added.

The lawmaker also pointed out that Duterte had even met personally with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing “but what they discussed still has to be disclosed.”

She added that Duterte or even his daughter Vice President Sara Duterte ?“has not been heard or issued any statement denouncing China for attacking the resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre.”

Castro added the two have not challenged Beijing’s claim that a Philippine president had promised to tow the Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal.

“Their silence on the issue speak volumes and it seems that we may not have to look far to find the traitors the Philippine Coast Guard is talking about,” she said.

She added it is also Duterte who has the “longest list of instances of sleeping with China.”

Castro and other Makabayan bloc lawmakers are mulling over the filing of a House resolution to investigate, “in aid of legislation,” the officials who supposedly had made the promise.

Defense meet

Philippine defense officials raised the issue of China’s hostile acts in the West Philippine Sea before their counterparts in 23 nations – including China – at the 2023 Chiefs of Defense Conference recently in Fiji.

The Republic of Fiji Military Forces and United States Indo-Pacific Command jointly sponsored the event.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said Philippine defense officials narrated in detail the Aug. 5 incident in Ayungin Shoal where the Chinese coast guard blasted with water cannon a Filipino vessel carrying provisions for soldiers stationed on the BRP Sierra Madre.

China’s deputy defense chief was at the meeting held from Aug. 14 to 16, Brawner told dzBB yesterday.

“We mentioned and exposed in the discussions with different countries what China was doing,” he said.

During the conference, Brawner said China insisted that it was following international rules and that its maritime claim was valid. The Asian power also called the 2016 arbitral ruling invalid and without legal basis.

Brawner said despite China’s intimidation, resupply mission for the BRP Sierra Madre would continue.

“It’s our obligation, it’s our right to supply provisions to out our troops,” he said.

“The BRP Sierra Madre is still a commissioned ship of the Philippine Navy. Despite its appearance, it’s still a commissioned ship of the Philippine Navy.  It’s flying the Philippine flag, visible, very visible,” he maintained.

Sticking to rules

If again harassed or attacked with a water cannon, Brawner said the resupply mission would continue to follow the rules of engagement and veer away from danger.

“We have our water cannons, but we’ll not use them the way they do. They’re for saving lives, for putting out fires,” he said.

Meanwhile, Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri is pushing for the passage of Senate Bill 315 or the “Philippine Defense Industry Development Act,” a measure envisioned to promote the local production of defense equipment and materiel.

The Senate President said SB 315 – if enacted – would revitalize the Self Reliant Defense Posture (SRDP) Program implemented in the 1970s to support the growing military hardware requirements of the AFP.

The measure seeks to strengthen the SRDP Program by incentivizing in-country enterprises to help grow the local defense industry.

“By encouraging the growth of local enterprises supplying defense equipment and hardware to our AFP, we become less reliant on other countries to fill out our defense requirements. It will also generate employment for many Filipinos in the long run,” Zubiri said.

He said that the acquisition process may still be “stringent but speedy so that recipients will get the right equipment at the right price at the right time.”