Move prompted by China reclamation try at WPS
NATIONAL Security Adviser Eduardo Año has ordered an intensified patrol in the West Philippine Sea following China’s attempt to conduct reclamation activities at a shoal in the area, the National Security Council said (NSC) said yesterday.
NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya, also spokesman of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) which Año heads, also said they are “alarmed” by the development at Escoda Shoal, also known as Sabina Shoal.
The shoal is about 71 nautical miles or 132 kilometers from the coastline of mainland Palawan, said Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesman of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for the West Philippine Sea who disclosed China’s island reclamation attempt at a forum on Saturday.
Tarriela said the attempt, similar to that at sand bars or cays near the Philippine-occupied Pagasa Island, was averted with the deployment of a PCG vessel, BRP Teresa Magbanua.
Tarriela has said PCG divers recently discovered crushed corals at the seabed of Escoda Shoal, which he said were indications of “small-scale” island reclamation.
Malaya said Año, upon learning of the Chinese activity, ordered that the information be made public “in consonance with our transparency policy,” thus the news forum last Saturday.
“The National Task Force West Philippine Sea, led by Secretary Año, has already directed an intensified guarding of all our features within the West Philippine Sea, within our 200 nautical miles Exclusive Economic Zone,” he said.
Malaya said it is the responsibility of the Philippines to ensure the environment in the area is protected.
“No other (country) will guard this but us. It is our responsibility under international law to guard and ensure environment is not destroyed in the area and there will be no reclamation activities,” he added.
He noted the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration that recognized the Philippines’ rights to its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The ruling also invalidated China’s excessive claim in the South China Sea.
“The directive of Secretary Eduardo Año is very clear: Intensify our monitoring and surveillance in all our features, particularly those we are occupying; second at Pag-asa Cays 1, 2 and 3; and third at Sabina Shoal,” said Malaya.
Malaya said more assets will be deployed to the West Philippine Sea but did not give figures.
“The mandate of our country under the 2016 Arbitral Ruling is clear: Ensure there will be no reclamation that will happen there,” said Malaya.
“So we will do what is necessary to prevent (island reclamation). We will intensify surveillance in those areas and deploy more assets for maritime patrol,” he said.
CHINESE VESSELS
In a press briefing yesterday, Tarriela said the dumping of the dead corals was discovered by PCG divers on board BRP Teresa Magbanua which arrived at the shoal on April 16. The vessel is still in the area, he said.
Tarriela said PCG commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan ordered the deployment of the vessel to the shoal after receiving reports about Chinese maritime militia vessels swarming in the area.
Since April 16, he said, they were able to monitor 34 Chinese maritime vessels, four Chinese Coast Guard vessels, three Chinese Navy ships and three Chinese research vessels in the area.
Tarriela said Chinese divers, believed to be marine scientists, were seen deployed from the Chinese research vessels.
He also said the PCG is coordinating with the University of the Philippines-Marine Science Institute to document the Chinese activities in the area. The findings will be submitted to the Department of Justice and Department of Foreign Affairs for possible legal and diplomatic actions against China.
China’s foreign ministry on Monday dismissed Manila’s latest accusation as “groundless and pure rumor.”
“Recently, the Philippine side has repeatedly spread rumors, deliberately smeared China and attempted to mislead the international community, which is futile,” spokesperson Wang Wenbin told a regular briefing.
He urged Manila to “return to the right track of properly settling maritime disputes through negotiation and consultation.”
‘DETERRED’
Tarriela could not immediately say when the Chinese began dumping dead corals at Escoda Shoal but said the presence of the PCG vessel and personnel in the area “deterred the People’s Republic of China from continuing its small-scale reclamation.”
He said PCG divers, since arriving at the area, did not observe more areas covered by dumped dead corals
“This means the Chinese government was prevented from continuing this small-scale reclamation. It is worth noting that we were successful in preventing China from continuing this small-scale reclamation,” said Tarriela.
Tarriela said Escoda Shoal is valuable to the Philippines, particularly in the conduct of resupply missions to Filipino troops at Ayungin Shoal. He noted that the shoal serves as the rendezvous point of the PCG and the AFP during resupply missions.
“If the Chinese will be very successful in carrying out this kind of reclamation and then converting this to another naval base or something, it will be very difficult for the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard to do the resupply because they have already encircled the entire Ayungin Shoal, if ever they are going to be successful in Sabina Shoal,” he said.
DIPLOMATS
The Department of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it will look into reports of “illegal and unlawful activities” by diplomatic officials but did not say whether this was in connection with the row over China’s leak of an alleged conversation between one of its officials with the head of the Philippine military’s Western Command (Wescom) over the situation in Ayungin Shoal.
“The DFA will look into any reports of illegal and unlawful activities by diplomatic officials, and undertake necessary action in line with existing laws and regulations,” the DFA said.
It also reminded foreign diplomats in the country to conduct their diplomatic activities “with the highest standards of integrity and professionalism, in pursuit of common interests and mutually beneficial outcomes.”
Last Friday, Año called for the expulsion of Chinese diplomats following the leak of the alleged phone conversation between Wescom chief Vice Adm. Alberto Carlos and an unnamed Chinese official concerning purported arrangement on how to manage the Ayungin shoal issue.
Carlos has taken a leave of absence but the AFP said it was for personal reasons and has nothing to do with the Ayungin issue.
VISAS
Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers urged President Marcos Jr. to scrap former President Joseph Estrada’s Executive Order No. 285 which allows the Bureau of Immigration to convert tourist visas to student visas in light of the influx of Chinese students in the country.
“In today’s setting, this particular power by the BI can be abused. This arbitrary power to convert visas is the worst legalized scheme that can be used by unscrupulous personnel for monetary gain,” Barbers said. “The 16,200 student visas that the BI granted to Chinese nationals in 2023 is simply unacceptable. Never mind if other countries grant more, we should never use that as our yardstick given our tense relationship with China.”
Barbers issued the statement after Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said stricter controls imposed by the Department of Foreign Affairs on Chinese nationals applying for tourist visas should cover other Chinese citizens seeking to enter the country.
Barbers, chair of the House committee on dangerous drugs, said the DFA should be the sole agency in charge of granting visas to foreigners because “it alone possesses the expertise to determine whether the applicants are eligible or not.”
Under EO 285, an inter-agency committee on foreign students was created chaired by CHED, with the DFA, NBI (National Intelligence Coordinating Agency) and the Department of Education (DepEd) as members. — With Ashzel Hachero, Wendell Vigilia and Reuters
