To prevent Chinese reclamation
THE military has deployed a Navy warship to the Sabina shoal in the West Philippine Sea where China recently tried to conduct reclamation activities to prevent possible similar attempts in the future.
“(The) Navy has increased its patrols in Sabina Shoal and for the past good number of days, we have had one warship stationed in the area,” Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea spokesman Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday.
Noting China’s land reclamations at several reefs in the West Philippine Sea, particularly at the Mischief, Subi and Cuarteron reefs, more than 10 years ago, Trinidad said: “We are on top of the situation. The Coast Guard is there, the Navy is there. We would like to prevent a repeat of what happened in 2012-2013.”
China has turned reclamations at the three reefs into naval bases.
The Philippine Coast Guard sent a ship, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, to the shoal last April 16 after receiving reports of a swarm of Chinese maritime vessels at the shoal, also known as Escoda Shoal. The vessel was still in the area as of yesterday.
PCG divers found dead corals piled at the seabed of the shoal the navy said proves small-scale reclamation. The PCG said the presence of the PCG vessel and personnel in the area prevented the reclamation activity.
“We will not allow that, of course, because it (the shoal) is well within the sovereign rights and sovereignty of the Philippines,” said Trinidad, adding the government will prevent China from building an artificial island at the shoal by exposing their activities.
“The approach of the government in the West Philippine Sea is the transparency initiative.
We would like to show the world what the other players are doing in the maritime domain and I would like to say that the other claimant countries have been subscribing to international law, except for China,” said Trinidad.
Pressed on what the military will do to prevent Chinese reclamation in the area, Trinidad said: “Increased presence, persistent presence.
“But suffice to say that we will do everything to ensure that Sabina and all other features within our EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) will remain under Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights,” said Trinidad, adding Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr.’s guidance “is to perform our mandate.
“He (Teodoro) has given sufficient guidance based on previous pronouncements. The AFP Western Command and the Navy, we know what to do,” Trinidad added.
Trinidad also reported a downward trend in the number of Chinese vessels at Scarborough Shoal and Philippine-occupied features in the West Philippine Sea over the past weeks.
China gained control of the Scarborough Shoal in 2012 after a standoff with Philippine government vessels. Since then, the Chinese have prevented Filipino fishermen from going inside the shoal’s lagoon.
“For the (weekly monitoring) period ending 13 May, yesterday, there was a decrease from the previous week. From 129 pre-Balikatan to 108 just after Balikatan. (It’s) down to 98 as of yesterday,” said Trinidad.
The Balikatan exercise between the Philippines and the United States was conducted from April 22 to May 10 and involved some 16,000 troops on both sides. The exercise was meant to hone the skills of the participating personnel primarily on external defense operations.
The 98 Chinese vessels monitored from April 30 to May 6 were composed of 76 maritime militia vessels, 16 Coast Guard vessels, five Navy vessels, and a cargo vessel.
“If we correlate this with Balikatan, there was (an) increase before BK (Balikatan), there was a decrease right after BK, there is a continuing decrease one week after BK,” said Trinidad.
‘SUE CHINA’
Retired Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio urged the Marcos administration to sue China anew for damages due to the destruction of Escoda Shoal and Rozul Reef, all within the country’s 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
In a radio interview, Carpio said the government should act now and file a case against China to prevent more damage to the marine ecosystem in Escoda shoal and Rozul Reef.
“The next arbitration case that we are recommending is for the following purposes: one, is to sue China for damages kasi sinira nila yung Escoda Shoal saka Rozul Reef (since they destroyed Escoda Shoal and Rozul reef),” Carpio told radio DZBB.
What is more concerning, aside from the damage, Carpio said is the fact that Escoda shoal is much closer to mainland Palawan than the contested Ayungin shoal where Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels have repeatedly harassed and blocked Philippine Coast Guard ships on resupply missions to the grounded Philippine Navy ship BRP Sierra Madre.
The retired magistrate, a member of the Philippine team that won the country’s arbitration case against China in 2016 over the latter’s excessive claim in the South China Sea, explained that bringing anew a case against Beijing before an international tribunal would “give attention and focus on the illegal island building” spree by China by putting it on the world’s agenda.
China refused to honor and abide by the 2016 arbitral ruling and proceeded with its aggressive expansion plan in the South China Sea, including building artificial islands, several of which are located within Manila’s exclusive economic zone, as well as the regular deployment of Navy and Coast Guard vessels, backed up by sizeable maritime militia ships.
In 2023, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said the department recommended the filing of cases against China over missing corals in Rozul Reef.
However, the DOJ and the Office of the Solicitor General have yet to provide an update on the issue.
Carpio also called on the Marcos administration not to relent in its efforts to secure Escoda shoal and Rozul reed, adding that round-the-clock air and naval patrols should be done and, if possible, in coordination with allied countries.
“If we fail to secure the area, the maritime militia will enter and establish a new island there,” Carpio said, adding that constant presence to monitor the area is needed.
“We have to be there in Escoda Shoal 24 hours a day and send our navy and our coast guard there to patrol regularly,” he added.
Carpio added that if China is able to construct new islands in Escoda and Rozul, it could affect the country’s plan to develop the oil and natural gas reserve of Recto or Reed Bank since they are the two geologic features that Beijing could use to block Philippine ships to Reed Bank.
Carpio earlier said the Philippine government should not get intimidated or allow itself to be intimidated by China and must act now to secure the Recto Bank.
He said the country should take heed of the same strategy employed by Indonesia and Malaysia to begin oil exploration and drilling in its exclusive economic zone despite threats from China.
In August last year, Carpio renewed his call for the government to begin oil exploration in Recto Bank, saying this is needed to enable the country to stave off possible devastating effects on the economy due to the rising energy costs and the drying up of gas in the Malampaya gas field in Palawan, which supplies around 40 percent of the energy requirements of mainland Luzon.
“The urgent issue now is to get gas from Recto Bank because we’re running out of gas in Malampaya and energy costs are going up fast. We have to send our drilling ships to Reed Bank but to do that we need to protect our exploration and survey ships,” he said then.
Recto Bank, which is located in the country’s exclusive economic zone, is believed to contain around 165 million barrels of oil and 3.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.In 2022, the departing Duterte administration announced the termination of the oil and gas exploration talks with Beijing, more than three years after the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation on Oil and Gas Development between the two countries.
Efforts to explore oil and gas in Recto Bank have been stymied by Chinese opposition.
In March 2022, Chinese coast guard vessels shadowed ships on a unilateral oil exploration in the area with scientists from the University of the Philippines on board.
ATIN ITO VOYAGE
The Philippine Navy will deploy a ship to monitor today’s voyage of the Atin Ito coalition to Scarborough Shoal to distribute supplies to Filipino fishermen and establish markers in the area.
Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad said the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is in “close contact” with Atin Ito to ensure the safety of those who will join the mission.
“We (Navy) are also in close with them,” Trinidad told reporters in an interview at Camp Aguinaldo.
Asked if the Navy would be sending a ship to monitor the activity, Trinidad said: “Without giving details on the distances, yes. I don’t want to give the details of how close.”
Trinidad commended Atin Ito for organizing the mission. Reports have it that two to five large fishing boats and a hundred smaller boats will join the voyage.
“This is civil society showing that they understand the issue. It is not only a government approach but a whole of nation approach. China should respect civil society in exercising Philippine rights,” said Trinidad.
Retired US Col. Ray Powell, a maritime expert, earlier said China is sending a “huge force” to block the Atin Ito convoy.
Based on his monitoring, Powell said at least four Chinese Coast Guard vessels and 26 large Chinese maritime militia vessels are ready to conduct a blockade. The number, he said, does not include the “dark” vessels or vessels that have turned off their tracking system.
Last April 30, a PCG vessel and a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel were damaged after they were subjected to dangerous maneuver, water cannoning and ramming by Chinese vessels during a “humanitarian mission” in the area.
PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said it would be “very stupid” on the part of the Chinese if they would harass and water cannon the civilian vessels joining the Atin Ito voyage.
“It will be very stupid on the part of the Chinese Coast Guard to do that because, definitely, the fishing vessels that will be used by the Atin Ito coalition will be destroyed,” said Tarriela.
“I’m not really sure whether they will be stupid enough to water cannon the civilian convoy.
But definitely, it will have so much pushback against them (if they do that),” said Tarriela, adding the PCG will deploy a vessel to escort the mission.
If the vessels are destroyed by the water cannoning and people end up in the water, Tarriela said “obviously there will be search and rescue and that’s the job of the Philippine Coast Guard — to recover all of them.”
Tarriela urged Atin Ito not to get near and provoke the Chinese during the mission.
He said Filipino fishermen, who will be the beneficiaries of the Atin Ito mission, are expected to stay away from the Chinese.
“The fishing vessels of our fellow Filipinos, they are not going to gather near the maritime forces, every force (of China),” said Tarriela, adding they will be “at a distance” from the Chinese.
“Their (Atin Ito) intention is to provide assistance to Filipino fishermen. The Filipino fishermen there will not be the Chinese Coast Guard because they are aware of the danger,” said Tarriela.
Tarriela said the guidance of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea to Atin Ito is “we just have to make sure that when there is imminent danger, they need not engage the Chinese Coast Guard vessels.”
“We should remember the fact that the vessels they (Atin Ito) are going to use are only indigenous fishing vessels, unlike Philippine Coast Guard vessels that are metal-hulled,” said Tarriela.
Tarriela also said the PCG has evidence to prove China’s attempt to conduct reclamation at Sabina Shoal.
Tarriela made the statement in reaction to a report by Chinese media that the PCG’s earlier claim about China’s reclamation at the shoal was “groundless” and such provocations could spark a “standoff.”
On X (formerly Twitter), Tarriela said: “What I find truly fascinating about China is their ability to employ deception, denial, and false narratives while projecting a facade of concern for regional stability.
“They excel at crafting statements and narrating events in a way that convinces others of their peaceful intentions and care for the marine environment,” he added.Tarriela said his statement about the construction of the artificial island and extensive damage to the coral system “is supported by concrete evidence.”
“China cannot simply dismiss these findings as disinformation, as we have documented the presence of their vessels in the area. It is widely known that China is the only country in the region that disregards environmental concerns,” said Tarriela.
“It is time to stop lying and be man enough to own your unlawful plans that is in progress,” said Tarriela.
‘HANDS OFF’
Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros said China should not block the “Atin Ito” civilian mission in Panatag Shoal since it will be done within the country’s exclusive economic zone.
In a statement, Hontiveros said the mission, led by Atin Ito, a coalition led by the activist group Akbayan, will provide fuel and essential supplies to fishermen outside the shoal which will be held today, Wednesday, up to Friday.
“China, keep your hands off our vessels and people. Not one of the Atin Ito participants should be harassed or intimated. Not one of our compatriots should fear for their safety,” Hontiveros said.
She said “it is outrageous” how China is reportedly sending its forces to block the civilian mission as if the shoal is part of her territory.
She also hit China for “propagating lies” that the mission “is a lot concocted by the Philippine and American governments.
“This cannot be further from the truth,” she added.
She said the Atin Ito coalition should be able to navigate freely in that part of the sea since it is their right as Filipinos to sail on Philippine waters.
“This is our territory. These are our waters. This is our and only ours,” she said.
The Philippines and the United States are set to expand cooperation on the use of space technology for maritime domain awareness and maritime safety that would be beneficial to Filipino fishermen and seafarers.
In a joint statement issued yesterday and released by the US State Department, Manila and Washington agreed that Earth observation is a priority area for bilateral cooperation during their first Bilateral Space Dialogue held in Washington D.C. last May 2.
The Philippines was represented in the dialogue by Gay Jane Perez, deputy director general for Space Science Technology of the Philippine Space Agency, while the US side was led by Rahima Kandahari, deputy assistant secretary of the State Department Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. — With Ashzel Hachero and Raymond Africa
