THE military has deployed one of its most capable ships and an anti-submarine helicopter to the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in the South China Sea, beefing up its presence in the disputed area.
“This is part of our maritime, sovereignty patrol requirement in the West Philippine Sea,” said Cdr. Ariel Joseph Coloma, spokesman of the military’s Western Command (Wescom), in a phone interview yesterday.
Coloma said the missile and anti-submarine warfare frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) and the AW-159 anti-submarine helicopter arrived in the area last week.
“We really want to beef up our maritime presence in the West Philippine Sea because that is the requirement of higher headquarters, that’s also the requirement of the national leadership,” said Coloma.
President Marcos Jr. has vowed to protect the country’s interests in the WPS, which is also being claimed by China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan. The President has said he will not give up a square inch of Philippine territory.
Coloma declined to say how many assets are currently assigned with Wescom to protect the country’s territory and sovereignty.
“But we have floating assets here that are round-the-clock deployed in our area of responsibility in the West Philippine Sea,” said Coloma.
Asked if these assets are enough to protect the Philippine interest in the WPS, Coloma said Wescom “wants an increase of our assets but we are making the most of what higher headquarters is giving us.
“We know that there are other deployment areas that have to be supported but here at Wescom, we maximize whatever assets that are deployed here, we maximize the deployment in the West Philippine Sea,” added Coloma.
On its Facebook page, Wescom said the BRP Antonio Luna and AW-159 were deployed to the Wescom area “for maritime and sovereignty patrols that ensure effective maritime presence, particularly, in the West Philippine Sea.
“The deployment of FF-151 and AW-159 represents a full-mission capable deployment for naval warfare, with the recent inclusion of the AW-159 ‘Wildcat’ helicopter completing the warfighting package of FF-151. The tandem platforms engage in different tests and training activities while patrolling the WPS,” Wescom said.
It said the presence of the two assets “ensures the AFP’s readiness and commitment to defending the country’s maritime interests against any potential threats.”
Wescom said the deployment of the warship and the helicopter “is a necessary step to protect the nation’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
It said the crew members of BRP Antonio Luna and AW-159 are working together “to ensure maximum readiness during any eventualities.”
“With their deployment, these naval assets continue to serve as a critical deterrent to any hostile forces in the region. The combined warfighting capabilities of FF151 and AW159 better equip the AFP to defend the country’s sovereignty against any potential threat in its western frontier,” it added.
