THE military has increased its deployment of assets at the Julian Felipe Reef as Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana guaranteed the military’s readiness to defend the country’s interests over the reef, where the security situation has tensed up with the presence of nearly 200 Chinese maritime militia vessels.
The Chinese ships have been in the country’s maritime waters since March 7 despite calls from officials for the Chinese communist government to remove them. By the latest count of the military, at least 183 vessels are remain holed out at in the reef.
“We are ready to defend our national sovereignty and protect the marine resources of the Philippines. There will be an increased presence of the Philippine Navy and Philippine Coast Guard ships to conduct sovereignty patrols and protect our fishermen in the West Philippine Sea,” said Lorenzana on Saturday night.
“I assure our people that we are addressing the situation. We stand by our position calling for the immediate withdrawal of Chinese vessels in the Julian Felipe Reef, which was communicated to the Chinese ambassador,” he added.
Filipino and Chinese military officials met before the weekend in order to defuse the situation. Lorenzana’s call for the removal of the Chinese maritime militia vessels was also relayed by military officials to their Chinese counterparts.
No development was however reported after the meeting and the Chinese government, apparently, has not taken any action.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. on March 21 said his agency had filed a diplomatic protest with China over the vessel swarm, though Chinese officials insisted these were simply fishing boats seeking shelter from rough seas.
Several countries, including Australia and Japan, have since backed the call of the Philippines, urging China to observe maritime laws, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).
Lorenzana said that while a Philippine navy ship and a Philippine Coast Guard (vessel) are currently at the reef monitoring the actual situation, the Philippine Air Force is also using AS211 jet aircraft “every day with the same mission.”
“Our air and sea assets are ready to protect our sovereignty and sovereign rights in the WPS (West Philippine Sea) and KIG (Kalayaan Island Group),” the defense secretary assured the public.
Lorenzana said the Department of National Defense is coordinating with other government agencies like the Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to coordinate the country’s effort in the WPS and the Kalayaan Island Group, which he stressed is part of the Municipality of Pag-asa.
“By securing the West Philippine Sea and its islands in the Kalayaan area, the Philippines reinforces its commitment to keeping the freedom of navigation and maintaining regional peace and stability,” he said.
Read full article on BusinessMirror