Agreement to allow more extensive drills
BY JOCELYN MONTEMAYOR and VICTOR REYES
PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday said he and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida want a reciprocal access agreement (RAA) between Japan and the Philippines finalized and signed “as soon as possible.”
The RAA will be similar to the Visiting Forces Agreement between the Philippines and the United States and will allow larger military exercises between Filipino and Japanese troops.
Japanese forces have been taking part in military exercises with Filipino troops over the past years but on a limited scale. Once an agreement is signed, there will be larger field training exercises between the two sides, like the huge-scale Balikatan exercises held annually by Filipino and US troops.
A team from the Department of National Defense, Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Justice went to Tokyo late last month to start formal negotiations for the RAA.
The President has said the RAA will provide Japan and the Philippines greater capability not only in terms of security, which will be useful in sustaining peace in the South China Sea, but also in terms of disaster preparedness.
“I think both the Prime Minister and I agree, ASAP lahat ito is — as soon as possible, yesterday, if not sooner,” Marcos said during a media interview yesterday before he left Tokyo to return to Manila.
National Security Council Assistant Director General and spokesman Jonathan Malaya said the President and Kishida want the RAA negotiations hastened.
“I think the target is to have that signed next year, or earlier the better,” he said in a briefing.
“If we have RAA with Japan, this signals the increase in the partnership between the Philippines and Japan because are going to be strategic partners,” he also said.
“This will be very beneficial in terms of our security, number one, and number two, to our disaster response,” he added.
Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr in October said the RAA will be signed “hopefully within the year.” Earlier this month, he said Philippine officials were waiting for the “counter draft” of the Japanese.
The negotiations for the RAA with Japan comes amid increased harassment and bullying by China in the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea which China claims as its own.
The President said he is looking forward to having similar arrangements with other countries to give the Philippine a big multiplier effect in terms of capability.
He said discussions on the matter were a very important part of his trip as he raised it during his talk with other Asian leaders during the formal discussions on security issues, particularly the West Philippine Sea.
“This is one of the products of that. We also have the same kind of negotiations or discussions with many other countries. We’ll continue to do that so that many countries can help us with this problem in the South China Sea,” he said in mixed English and Filipino.
Formal negotiations on the RAA were held in Tokyo on November 29-30 of this year, with the Philippine delegation being headed by the Department of National Defense, accompanied by negotiating teams from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Department of Justice.
CHINESE ENVOY
The President dismissed calls to expel Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian, following his recent pronouncements about the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea issue.
Marcos said the Chinese envoy is just doing his job and echoing China’s narrative on the South China Sea. He said the ambassador will always take the Chinese position.
“It does not serve any purpose for us to lose our temper or overreact,” he said.
The ambassador has reportedly made hostile comments following recent harassment by Chinese vessels, and warned officials not to provoke China as he maintained that China has historical rights over almost the entire South China Sea, including territories that are within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
CHINESE VESSELS
Marcos, asked to comment on the reported presence of more Chinese vessels at the Ayungin Shoal, said the Philippines is being careful to avoid any misunderstanding.
“We have to be very careful that we do not overreact, that we do not make mistakes that might be misinterpreted by anyone… if we heightened the tensions, it won’t lead us to a good result. So, we are being very circumspect in the actions that we will take,” he said.
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) yesterday said there are no more Chinese maritime militia vessels at the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal.
Malaya, also NTF-WPS spokesman, downplayed the claim of retired US Air Force Col. Ray Powell that China is on an invasion mode at the shoal, about 108 nautical miles from Rizal, Palawan.
Powell, SeaLight director at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation, last week said 11 Chinese maritime militia vessels were observed at the shoal while dozens others were clustered in the periphery.
Powell said the “highly unusual invasion of the shoal’s interior appears to have been a calculated show of force by Beijing.”
Malaya said: “All the Chinese maritime militia (vessels) already left, they already left as of yesterday’s report and we confirmed it again this morning. All of them left and what’s left as per our latest monitoring is one (Chinese) Coast Guard, the CCG (Chinese Coast Guard) 5204.”
“To our countrymen who are alarmed by the news that came out, that they (Chinese) are on invasion (mode) and they might attack our BRP Sierra Madre, we would like to dispel this report,” he added.
Malaya said what Powell said could be a mere “hyperbole or is an exaggeration of what is happening there.”
‘NOT TRUE’
Filipino troops assigned at Ayungin Shoal are staying at BRP Sierra Madre, a rusting Philippine Navy ship that was grounded at the shoal in 1999 to serve as military outpost.
Over 40 Chinese Coast Guard vessels and Chinese maritime militia vessels were observed during the last Philippine military resupply mission at Ayungin Shoal last December 10.
Some of these Chinese harassed the four Philippine vessels that took part in the resupply mission, including the supply boat Unaizah Mae 1 carrying AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.
Unaizah Mae 1 managed to bring Brawner, other military officials and supplies to Ayungin Shoal despite dangerous maneuvers, water cannoning, and ramming by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel.
Unfortunately, one of the supply boats, K/L Kalayaan, was not able to complete its mission as it suffered serious damage on its engine. It was towed back to mainland Palawan by PCG vessel BRP Sindangan, which did not incur any damage in the harassment incident.
Another PCG vessel, BRP Cabra suffered damage to its mast but the damage was not significant to affect its navigational capability.
“If we are talking about the facts on the ground, it’s not true that the Chinese are on invasion mode. In fact, they already left, there is only one Chinese Coast Guard left in the shoal,” said Malaya.
Malaya said the number of Chinese vessels at Ayungin Shoal and other features in the West Philippine Sea has been fluctuating.
“We’ve gotten use to these swarming but our monitoring is continuous, we send out patrols every now and then and our troops in Ayungin Shoal are also helping in driving away the Chinese maritime militia (vessels). So they are no longer there, what’s left is one ship, the Chinese Coast Guard 5204,” he said.
ALLIANCES
Speaker Martin Romualdez backed the President’s stance in favor of stronger international alliances in maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea and the wider Asian region.
“The collaboration between the Philippines and Japan, as well as our alliance with other like-minded nations, is crucial in addressing the growing challenges we face in the region,” said Romualdez. “It is evident that the complexities of the current geopolitical climate, particularly the aggressive actions of China in the South China Sea, require robust and cooperative solutions.”
The Speaker was with the President in Tokyo for the 50th ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation Commemorative Summit.
Romualdez emphasized the need for sustained dialogue and peaceful negotiations among all parties involved.
“While we remain committed to defending our national interests and upholding our sovereign rights, it is equally imperative to pursue diplomatic avenues and peaceful engagements,” he said.
Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian has filed a measure which seeks to modernize the Philippine Coast Guard in the light of continuing tension in the West Philippine Sea.
Senate Bill No. 2516 or the PCG Modernization Act, seeks to enhance the coast guard’s assets and facilities, bolster its capabilities, and strengthen the implementation of its mandate.
The proposed measure also seeks to develop a more mobile and visible coast guard that will establish its vision of a “world-class guardian of the sea” by the year 2025, acquire and upgrade appropriate technology and equipment, and strategically improve and construct bases, installations, and other PCG facilities.
Gatchalian said the PCG not only plays a crucial role in the country’s pursuit of ensuring maritime safety and security amid the escalating aggression of China in the WPS, but also involved in environmental protection and search, rescue, and disaster response, as well. — With Wendell Vigilia and Raymond Africa
