US open to escort Philippine resupply missions in West Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines — Sending US ships to escort Philippine vessels on supply missions in the West Philippine Sea is “an entirely reasonable option,” the chief of the US Indo-Pacific Command said yesterday.

Admiral Samuel Paparo made the remarks on the sidelines of a defense forum in Manila, in response to a media query whether Washington would consider providing escorts to Philippine ships taking supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre or to land features in the West Philippine Sea occupied by Filipinos.

“I mean certainly, within the context of consultations,” Paparo added, without giving details of ships likely to be employed for the task.

Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., however, said the Philippines prefers to run those missions on its own, making every effort to ensure their success despite China’s “dangerous” and “coercive” actions.

“We are going to try all options, all avenues that are available to us,” Brawner told reporters. “While we can do it by ourselves, we will do it.”

But the Philippines would seek alternatives if it found itself constrained from doing so, he added.

“It’s not just perhaps operating with the United States, but also with other like-minded nations,” he pointed out.

After the forum, Paparo paid a courtesy call on President Marcos at Malacañang.

“I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of you... We have many subjects to discuss for the United States and for the Philippines,” the President told the US military official.

“I’m glad that you are able to find time to tour with us in the Philippines. I understand that you were going to visit some sites and one of the EDCA sites so you will see the true situation on the ground,” he added, referring to the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.

Malacañang has yet to release additional details about the meeting, which was also attended by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro Jr., National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, Brawner and US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson.

Paparo’s remarks came on the heels of maritime and air confrontations between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea in the past week.

At the forum organized by the US Indo-Pacific Command, Teodoro said the country’s defense treaty with the US must be interpreted more broadly to tackle a “dynamic and cunning adversary.”

More dynamic pact

While the US has reassured its oldest Asian ally that their defense partnership is “ironclad,” Teodoro called for the pact to be made “more dynamic” to avoid falling into “China’s trap.”

“The mutual defense treaty should be interpreted dynamically,” he told the forum organized by the US Indo-Pacific Command.

He also urged regional nations to call out China, which he described as the “biggest disruptor of peace,” for its activities in the busy waterway.

“I believe they’re not undeterrable because it’s just a question of getting a worldwide consensus,” Teodoro said.

He said it is also important for the Philippines to “collaboratively and on our own” build up its military as deterrence “in order to give them pause that we are serious in protecting our sovereignty and we will fight for it.”

“What people don’t realize is that there is active effort to reshape the international order publicly articulated by China to create a new world order and what is this new world order, this new world order will mean it will be China-led,” Teodoro pointed out.

He said such new world order will have no credibility. “Even their historical basis is questionable,” Teodoro said, referring to China.

“On the one hand, the world should see the duplicity here. They want to be bridges of peace in the Middle-East, in Africa, elsewhere where there is conflict. Yet what are they doing in their backyard, that’s what the world should see,” he stressed.

“We should not allow China to define what ASEAN centrality means. We should get together in ASEAN and protect each other’s sovereign rights and sovereignty while settling our internal disputes between and amongst ourselves,” he said.

“Yet what is China trying to do? Trying to break us apart and that fortunately will not happen because I believe firmly that our leaders realize that in this region, China, although without saying it and I’ll say it for you, is the biggest disruptor of international peace in the ASEAN region,” he added.

Philippine eyes maritime drills with Spain

Meanwhile, Department of National Defense spokesman Arsenio Andolong said Teodoro discussed yesterday with Spain’s new defense attaché Col. Santiago Martin Sanz the possibility of having Spain join Maritime Cooperative Activities or joint sail with the Philippine Navy in the West Philippine Sea.

“With a view of developing maritime security cooperation, (Teodoro) expressed openness to possible port visits by Spanish Navy vessels in the future and raised the prospect of conducting MCA,” Andolong said.

More Chinese ships

This developed as the Philippine Navy reported a notable increase in the number of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea in the past seven days.

Data showed there were 163 Chinese naval, coast guard and maritime militia vessels spotted in various parts of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone from Aug. 20 to 26, the highest count in the past three months.

The number of Chinese vessels monitored during the period Aug. 13 to 19 was 129. The figure was even lower at 92 between Aug. 6 and 12.

Reports also showed a huge concentration of vessels in Escoda Shoal where the BRP Teresa Magbanua of the Philippine Coast Guard has been stationed since April to keep watch and prevent any reclamation activities by the Chinese. — Alexis Romero