THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) yesterday said involving the Philippine Navy in future buoy-laying operations in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in the South China Sea may increase tension in the area.
Vice Adm. Joseph Coyme, commander of the PCG’s Maritime Safety Services Command, made the remarks in response to a suggestion of Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez for the PCG to tap the Navy’s help in the laying of the buoys in the WPS.
In a TV interview, Coyme said it is “quite difficult to expose our gray ship or Philippine Navy (ship)” in buoy-laying operations in the WPS, noting that the area is a “disputed or contested” area.
“It would be construed as assertiveness or somehow increasing the tension,” said Coyme, who is also the commander of the PCG’s Task Force Kaligtasan sa Karagatan.
The PCG is a civilian agency under the Department of Transportation while the Navy is under the Armed Forces which is one of the bureaus of the Department of National Defense.
Coyme said government, as part of its national security strategy, has been employing mainly “white ships” or PCG ships in the WPS “in order to deescalate the situation.”
“The Navy could take part in this kind of activity, perhaps in other areas that are not contested,” said Coyme.
On Monday, Rodriguez said the PCG should install more buoys in the WPS and the PCG should ask help from the Philippine Navy in accomplishing the task.
Rodriguez said the markers “should serve as a warning to the Chinese and other foreign powers that those are a demarcation of our 200-mile exclusive economic zone under international law.”
National Security Adviser and National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) chair Eduardo Año also on Monday he wants the PCG to install more buoys in the WPS this year.
Año said the PCG should show that the government is for “safe and free navigation” and “we are serious and determined to protect and defend our rights, territory and sovereignty.”
Last week, the PCG installed buoys at five areas in the WPS — Patag, Panata and Kota islands and Julian Felipe and Balagtas reefs. In May last year, the PCG also installed buoys at Lawak, Likas, Parola and Pag-asa islands, also in the WPS.
In May last year, the PCG also installed buoys at four other Philippine-occupied features in the WPS — Lawak, Likas, Parola and Pag-asa islands.
Coyme said the PCG intends to install more buoys in the WPS this year but declined to give details.
“We intend to have another sortie for the year if weather permits and for operational security purposes, I cannot still disclose those areas,” said Coyme.
Coyme said the PCG is “consolidating the observations, the reactions on the ground” in connection with impending buoy-laying operations.
He said the planned operation will be done in coordination with the NTF-WPS.
