PH not intimidated by Beijing, says Año
BY ASHZEL HACHERO and VICTOR REYES
FOLLOWING the latest incident of harassment in the West Philippine Sea, the United States yesterday condemned “dangerous actions” by Chinese vessels against the Philippines as it reiterated its support for Manila and called on Beijing to abide by the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
The State Department issued the statement after the China Coast Guard fired water cannons at a Philippine resupply vessel on its way to reprovision troops in Ayungin Shoal on Saturday.
“The United States stands with its ally the Philippines and condemns the dangerous actions by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) against lawful Philippine maritime operations in the South China Sea on March 23,” the State Department said in a statement.
“The PRC ships’ repeated employment of water cannons and reckless blocking maneuvers resulted in injuries to Filipino service members and significant damage to their resupply vessel, rendering it immobile. The PRC’s actions prevent normal personnel rotations and deprive Filipino service members at Second Thomas Shoal of necessary provisions,” it added.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said government is not intimidated by the latest bullying of a Philippine resupply mission at Ayungin Shoal, adding adjustments will be made in the conduct of the missions.
“We will continue to do this. We will not be deterred, we will not be intimidated because it is our right and we have to protect our soldiers, our sailors at BRP Sierra Madre,” said Año, concurrent chairman of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.
Filipino troops stationed at Ayungin Shoal are staying at BRP Sierra Madre, a rusting Philippine Navy ship which was grounded at the shoal in 1999 to serve as military outpost.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said the PRC’s actions are destabilizing to the region and show clear disregard for international law.
“According to an international tribunal’s legally binding decision issued in July 2016, the PRC has no lawful maritime claims to the waters around Second Thomas Shoal and Second Thomas Shoal is a low tide feature clearly within the Philippines exclusive economic zone.
As provided under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, the 2016 arbitral decision is final and legally binding on the PRC and the Philippines, and the United States calls upon the PRC to abide by the ruling and desist from its dangerous and destabilizing conduct,” Miller said.
Miller was referring to the ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration which junked China’s sweeping claim in the South China Sea under its so-called nine-dash line which the arbitral panel said has no legal nor historical basis.
Beijing refused to abide by the ruling and instead continued to fortify its claim in the disputed waterway by sending coast guard and maritime militia vessels, as well as building artificial islands complete with weapon systems, runways and port facilities.
MUTUAL DEFENSE
Miller reiterated Washington’s commitment to the 1951 US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty which extends to armed attacks on Philippine armed forces, public vessels, or aircraft — including those of its coast guard — anywhere in the South China Sea.
On Saturday, US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson condemned China’s action against Philippine vessels in the disputed waterway and said it violates international law and threatens peace and stability in the region.
Carlson was joined by Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko, European Union’s Luc Veron, UK Ambassador Laure Beaufils, Australian Ambassador Hae Kyung Yu, German Ambassador Andreas Pfaffernoschke, Finland’s Ambassador Juha Pyykko, Ambassador of the Netherlands Marielle Geraedts, Canadian Ambassador David Hartman, and French Ambassador Marie Fontanel in condemning Beijing’s action.
Meanwhile, China’s Ministry of Defense warned Manila against making “provocative actions” and said Beijing would safeguard its territorial sovereignty.
“We warn the Philippines to stop making any remarks that may lead to the intensification of conflicts and escalation of the situation, and stop all infringing and provocative actions. If the Philippines repeatedly challenges China’s bottom line, China will continue to take firm and decisive measures to firmly safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” it said in a statement Sunday.
In the latest incident, three Philippine Navy personnel onboard the supply boat, Unaizah Mae 4, were injured, after Chinese vessels subjected to dangerous maneuver and water cannoning the military-chartered supply boat and a Philippine Coast Guard vessel near Ayungin Shoal during a rotation and reprovisioning (RORE) mission.
The boat was also severely damaged by water cannons fired by the Chinese and failed to reach the BRP Sierra Madre. Rigid-hull inflatable boats from BRP Sierra Madre fetched the troops and supplies from the Unaizah Mae 4 which is now back in mainland Palawan.
The Chinese have harassed similar resupply missions at the shoal in the past months. AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr and AFP Western Mindanao Command even personally witnessed such harassment as they aboard the supply boats.
RIGHTS
Año said Ayungin Shoal — about 104 nautical miles from Rizal, Palawan – is well within the country’s 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone “so it is within our rights and our authority” to pursue such RORE missions.
“This is one way of asserting our sovereign rights. Now, their (Chinese) actions are illegal, coercive, aggressive and even deceptive,” said Año.
“This is just an ordinary rotation and resupply or provision operation but look at how the Chinese are reacting. It is as if it’s already the end of the world so (they are) really humiliating themselves in front of the world,” he added.
The Chinese Coast Guard, in justifying its latest actions, warned the Philippines that “playing with fire is an invitation (to) disgrace.” It said its ships merely implemented “lawful regulation, interception, and expulsion in a reasonable and professional manner.”
The Chinese foreign ministry urged the Philippines to “immediately stop its infringement and provocation and refrain from undermining peace and stability in the South China Sea.”
It said China will “continue to adopt resolute measures to safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interest” if Philippines “insists on going its own way” and Philippines “should be prepared to bear all potential consequences.”
Año, asked if the government will make adjustments to end Chinese bullying in the area, said, “Well, the principle is basic. We have a duty to do this and we have to protect our people and we will not stop from doing this RORE operations.”
“Of course, we will make adjustments. That is going to be discussed at the level of the Armed Forces as to the adjustments that we are going to do,” he said without elaborating.
Asked if it is time to use small Navy ships to deliver supplies to troops at Ayungin Shoal, Año said he is deferring to the Armed Forces on how such missions will be conducted.
“As the chairman of the NTF-WPS, I will support their recommendation and we will make sure that other agencies involved, who are part of the NTF-WPS, will fully support the Armed Forces and the Philippine Coast Guard,” said Año.
HIGH-LEVEL MEETING
On Saturday, the NTF-WPS said Año requested a Monday meeting with Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and the national security cluster “for purposes of making recommendations to the President.”
“Our meeting with the Executive Secretary will push through. (It’s going) to be attended by security principals,” he said, referring to security sector leaders.
Año said details of the latest RORE mission will be presented during the meeting “and from there, there will be discussions.” He said they will later come up with recommendations to the President.
“This is a high-level meeting. We are not just talking about the resupply, the RORE, but discussion on aspects affecting the West Philippine Sea issue,” he said Año.
Año condemned China’s latest aggression.
“I think (it’s) not only us who is condemning the incident that the Chinese did. Actually, Japan and US already issued statements and I think more countries are giving statements,” he said.
JOINT EXERCISES
Sen. Francis Tolentino urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to encourage countries supportive of the Philippines but have no treaty or defense alliance with the country to hold joint exercises with government in a bid to maximize their support to the country amid Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea.
In an interview with radio dzBB, Tolentino said while joint marine patrols with allied countries should be continuous, the DFA can arrange joint exercises with those countries for peaceful marine science, research and development exploration within the country’s exclusive economic zone to show their support to the Philippines.
For instance, he said, Norway and the Netherlands which have no defense treaties with the Philippines can be involved by the government to take part in joint marine explorations in that part of the Philippine territory.
“Puede rin isali ang isang maritime country na malayo-layo sa ating kinalalagayn ngayon, hindi lang sa Europa, pati sa Latin Amerika. So parang lalabas po nito yung second batch should involve non-aligned countries that seek to develop and explore the area. So, scientific research and development (We can involve a maritime country which is far from us, not only those from Europe, but also from Latin America, as well. So, this second batch [of exercises] will involve non0aligned countries that seek to develop and explore the area [WPS]. So, this will be scientific research and development),” he said.
Tolentino also said the statement made by the Chinese foreign minister that sending resupply missions to BRP Sierra Madre “is an invitation to disgrace” is the height of rudeness.
“Parang ang sinasabi nila ay iniimbitahan natin ang sarili natin na mapahiya. Eh kabastusan na siguro yung ganoong salita dahil hindi naman natin layunin na hiyain kahit sino, lalo yung ating sarili (It is like telling us that we are inviting ourselves to be humiliated. That is the height of rudeness because we do not want to shame anybody, much less shame ourselves),” he said.
Tolentino said the government has exhausted all peaceful means of resolving the issue, but the other party is not keen on getting it done. He reiterated the government should recall the Philippine ambassador to China as a means of protesting Beijing’s bullying at the WPS. — With Raymond Africa
