EDITORIAL - Because they can

The Department of Foreign Affairs has reportedly “fired off” another diplomatic protest to Beijing, this time over intrusions by Chinese warships into Philippine territorial waters in Tawi-Tawi.

Security officials say the intrusions were detected as early as February this year. The incidents are remarkable because they herald the start of the entry of Chinese military ships instead of maritime militia vessels ostensibly engaged in fishing, environmental or research activities. The waters in Tawi-Tawi are also part of Philippine territory as defined under international laws, and not just within the country’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone.

Equally worrisome for Philippine security officials was that all the warships switched off their Automatic Identification Systems, in violation of international protocols on innocent passage. This is normally done by military vessels only during wartime, Philippine officials stressed, to avoid detection by the enemy.

Philippine officials also noted that the warships, instead of sailing in a straight line as is normally done during innocent passage, were on a zigzag course, as if on patrol or exploration, between islands in Tawi-Tawi – an area that is not covered by conflicting territorial claims.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he had called the attention of Chinese authorities when the incursions started, but more warships continued to enter in July and this month. So it may be reasonable to expect the incidents to continue despite the diplomatic protest.

The best deterrent to trespassers is to stop them from doing so. Lorenzana said the country currently has weak capability to prevent such incursions. But each intrusion must be documented, even as the country beefs up its capability to protect its own territorial waters. If intruders keep entering without any by-your-leave, it is because they can.