THE recent multilateral maritime cooperative activity of the Philippines with the United States, Japan and Australia in the contested West Philippine Sea was conducted as part of the country’s new defense posture, according to Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr said
“The Philippines is committed to preserving a secure, stable and peaceful Indo-Pacific region,” Teodoro said in a statement on Monday night, a day after the successful multilateral maritime cooperative activity (MCA) which included the conduct of anti-submarine exercise.
Five warships and four aircraft from the four countries and were involved in the first-ever multilateral MCA which the Armed Forces said was a demonstration of the participating countries’ “commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific through interoperability exercises in the maritime domain.”
Two Chinese Navy ships were sighted about six nautical miles away from the exercise area but did not interfere with the activity, Armed Forces chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr has said.
The MCA was conducted by the four countries amid growing tension in the West Philippine Sea. China’s vessels have harassed Philippine government ships and fishing vessels in the past months in the area, including military resupply missions to the Philippine-occupied Ayungin Shoal which is inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
“As an archipelagic country, it (Philippines) both upholds and champions a rules-based global order, especially in the maritime domain, where the primacy of UNCLOS is well-established and enshrined in the 2016 arbitral award,” Teodoro said.
UNCLOS, or the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, provides coastal states like the Philippines a 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
The 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidated China’s excessive nine-dash line claim in the South China Sea and recognized the Philippines’ rights to its EEZ.
“In so doing, the Philippines is changing its defense paradigms, strengthening its own capabilities, and leveraging alliances with allies and like-minded nations,” said Teodoro, referring to the new Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC).
“This will enable the Philippines to both secure its territory and its rights under international law and to be an effective partner of other countries in ensuring freedom of navigation, overflight, and security in international waters,” he said.
Teodoro announced last January the implementation of the “new defense concept” that seeks to guarantee Philippine nationals, corporations and those authorized by the Philippine government “ unimpeded and peaceful exploration and exploitation of all natural resources within our exclusive economic zone and other areas where we have jurisdiction.”
In March, Teodoro said they are, under the CADC, “developing our capability to protect and secure our entire territory and exclusive economic zone in order to ensure that our people and all the generations of Filipinos to come shall freely reap and enjoy the bounties of the natural resources that are rightfully ours within our domain.”
Philippine Coast Guard spokesman for the West Philippine Sea spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said the number of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea has increased during the Marcos administration compared to the previous Duterte administration but the level of Chinese “provocation” is similar.
“Are there more (Chinese) vessels now compared with the number of Chinese vessels that were deployed during President Duterte’s time? We can fairly say there is an increase,” he said in a TV interview without giving figures. “But in general, still, you know the level provocation of China remains to be same.”
Tarriela said the Chinese have sent more vessels in the West Philippine Sea to “flex their muscle” to “threaten us” for publicizing and exposing Chinese aggressions in the West Philippine Sea.
Tarriela said China has also harassed Philippine vessels during the Duterte administration.
“The only reason why we are not talking about its because we chose to publicize it… Media outlets are not telling the public about it because we chose to be silent about it. In terms of those kinds of activities and illegal presence of China, this has been happening even during the time of President Duterte,” said Tarriela.
The Marcos administration has decided to expose Chinese aggressions and illegal activities of China in the West Philippine Sea. Many countries have aired support to the Philippines, including US, Japan, and Australia.
Former presidential spokesman Harry Roque recently criticized the Marcos administration’s “microphone diplomacy” which he said has increased tension in the West Philippine Sea.
Tarriela said, “You know people like Atty. Harry Roque and some of the Chinese trolls online have always been blaming this on what they call microphone diplomacy. But as far as the national government is concerned, this is not microphone diplomacy. This is an information strategy that we chose to expose the factual narrative of what’s happening.”
Tarriela said the strategy is not meant to provoke China or escalate tension in the West Philippine Sea.
“They are claiming that this kind of strategy provokes China and escalates the tension. But that’s not the way it is. The mere fact that more countries now are standing up and supporting the Philippines and Filipino are also supportive of our approach, that’s the very objective of this strategy, not to provoke anybody and not to escalate the tension,” said Tarriela.
COPE THUNDER
Air forces from the Philippines and United States on Monday launched a military exercise involving a dozen F-16 fighter aircraft from the US Air Force.
The exercise “Cope Thunder-Philippines 2024” will be held in training areas in Central Luzon and northern Luzon until April 19, said Air Force spokeswoman Col. Ma. Consuelo Castillo.
Castillo said about 700 personnel from the two air forces will be involved, including 170 from the US Air Force.
“We have dedicated four FA-50s from our side, and around 12 from the US side, F-16s,” she said.
“We will be having flight operations, involving fighter aircraft from both air forces. We will (be featuring) our FA-50s and F-16s from the US side. Throughout the duration of Cope Thunder, we will be having multiple air operations between the two fighter units,” said Castillo.
Castillo said the two sides will do basic fighter maneuver during the exercise. There will be other field exercises in air and ground operations, logistics and mission support planning and execution training, as well as subject matter expert exchanges on maritime strike and anti-ship tactics.
Philippine Air Force-Air Defense Command commander Maj. Gen. Fabian Pedregosa and US Air Force 13th Fighter Squadron commander Lt. Col. Keegan Dale were among those who graced launch ceremonies.
The Air Force said Pedregosa, during the ceremony, “underscored the unwavering commitment of the PAF and its international allies to enhancing interoperability, strengthening deterrence and defense capabilities, promoting regional security and stability, and bolstering diplomatic ties.”
Another Cope Thunder-Philippines exercise is due to be conducted in June this year.
The Cope Thunder-Philippines exercise was revived last year after it was halted in the 1990s. The two sides held two Cope Thunder exercises last year – one in May and the other in July.
Castillo said the subject matter expert exchanges on maritime strike is a “prelude to actual exercises that could be conducted in the future.”
She said the Cope Thunder-Philippines is in preparation for the military exercise “Exercise Pitch Black” to be held in Australia in August.
Castillo said Philippine Air Force personnel were merely observers in the past Exercise Pitch Black.
“We’re expecting aircraft involvement of the Philippines. So since we are going to deploy fighter aircraft for Pitch Black, we are conducting training,” said Castillo.
