THE Armed Forces yesterday questioned the presence of Chinese fighter jets in the West Philippine Sea during a joint maritime and air patrol between the Philippines and Australia.
In a TV interview, AFP spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar said the Department of Foreign Affairs is filing a diplomatic protest over the presence of the Chinese jets in the area.
The Chinese fighter jets appeared on Sunday while the Philippine Air Force’s Super Tucano light attack aircraft was patrolling the Hubo Reef. The military said the Chinese fighter jets circled the PAF aircraft for about 15 minutes. It said the PAF plane continued its flight plan despite the incident and completed its mission.
The three-day activity ended on Monday after a passing exercise (PASSEX) between Australian Navy ship HMAS Toowoomba and Philippine Navy ship BRP Gregorio del Pilar.
AFP public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said the passing exercise marked the “end of the maritime cooperative activity between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Australian Defense Force and signaled the departure of the Australian vessel from Philippine waters.”
“The culminating PASSEX included Officer of the Watch maneuvers, communications checking, and cross-decking to ensure seamless interoperability in real-life engagements,” said Trinidad.
Aguilar said the Chinese fighter jets are not supposed in the area where the “circling” incident occurred, pointing to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea which grants coastal states, like the Philippines, a 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“If we are going to follow the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the presence of these Chinese aircraft is illegal,” said Aguilar. “The UNCLOS clearly defines that that maritime area belongs to the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and therefore they have no reason to be in that area and much more undertake activities that will cause harm or may result in accident.”
The DFA has lodged hundreds of diplomatic protests against China in the past years for its aggressive actions against the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea.
FOREIGN FORCES
The joint patrol with Australia was launched last Saturday, two days after a similar activity with US, also in the West Philippine Sea.
After the launching of the Philippines-US joint patrol, China accused the Philippines of enlisting foreign forces to stir up trouble in the WPS.
Commenting on the Chinese statement yesterday, Aguilar said, the foreign countries are “volunteering” to join with the Philippines in its patrols “because they see that what we are fighting for is in accordance with international law.”
Aguilar also said there is no reason for China to make the accusation because “we are not involved in any act, in any harassment.”
“Contrary to what they are saying, they are the ones doing this water cannoning, this shadowing, these dangerous maneuvers… They are the ones creating trouble in the West Philippine Sea,” said Aguilar.
CHRISTMAS CONVOY
The National Security Council (NSC) confirmed it has allowed the non-government organization Atin Ito to proceed with its Christmas convoy to the WPS.
In a statement, NSC spokesman Jonathan Malaya, however, said the convoy will just pass through BRP Sierra Madre which is grounded at the Philippine-held Ayungin Shoal, where the group initially planned to distribute Christmas gifts to soldiers.
“Both parties agreed that a convoy to the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal would not be advisable at this time since the safety of the civilian convoy is of paramount consideration,” said Malaya.
“Nonetheless, the planned Christmas convoy will pass through the general vicinity of Ayungin Shoal as far as practicable, on its way to other selected PH-occupied features to bring Christmas cheer directly to our troops assigned to those areas as well as to our fisherfolks,” said Malaya.
Malaya said the last stop of the convoy is Pag-asa Island where the group will be handing over the Christmas gifts for those at Ayungin Shoal.
“There, Christmas gifts and donated supplies for BRP Sierra Madre will be turned over to the Philippine Navy-AFP and to the Philippine Coast Guard for delivery during the regular rotation and resupply missions,” said Malaya.
“By visiting the other PH-occupied features, the Christmas convoy will be able to visit a vaster area of the WPS and bring Christmas cheer directly to more fisherfolk and frontliners,” said Malaya.
Interviewed at the sidelines of a forum organized by the Stratbase ADR Institute, Malaya said the group planned to hold the mission on December 5 but they are moving it to later date because preparations will have to be undertaken.
Malaya said Atin Ito is coordinating with the AFP Western Command (Wescom) and the Philippine Coast Guard to discuss the security of the mission.
“We told them they can proceed but they are not allowed to board BRP Sierra Madre, that’s clear, because of the tension between us and China,” said Malaya.
“As to the details — how many vessels are involved, how many people are involved — that is being ironed out now, together with the Western Command and Philippine Coast Guard,” he added.
Malaya said the group initially told the NSC that they were planning to involve 40 vessels in the mission.
“The final number will depend on the discussions between the Coast Guard, Western Command and Atin Ito coalition,” he said.
