The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) vowed on Wednesday, April 14, that it will sustain its maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) where more than 240 Chinese vessels linger despite persistent protest from the national government.
(Photo courtesy of National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea / FILE PHOTO)
Major Gen. Edgard Arevalo, AFP spokesperson, said the military has coordinated with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and the Philippine National Police's Maritime Group (PNP-MG) to conduct coordinated patrols in WPS.
"Kung hindi humihinto ang Tsina sa kanyang ginagawang illegal na pangingisda, kasi sabi nila fishing vessels sila, doon sa ating exclusive economic zone na meron tayong tinatawag na exclusive economic right, ay hindi rin po titigil ang inyong armed forces sa ating ginagawang pagpapatrol (If China won't stop from its illegal fishing activities, since they said these were fishing vessels, in our exclusive economic zone where we have exclusive economic right, your armed forces will also not stop conducting our patrols)," Arevalo said in a radio interview over DZBB.
"Ira-rally na po natin lahat ng ating mga may kakayahan na mag-patrolya sa ating mga iba't-ibang karagatan, all level ng ating maritime area, upang sa ganoon ay bilang isang gobyerno at isang bansa ay haharapin po natin itong hamon na ito (We will rally our capabilities in all levels of our maritime area to patrol our seas so we can face this challenge as one nation)," he added.
Despite the deepening tension between Manila and Beijing, Arevalo maintained that the AFP will not resort to war since it will be a violation of the Constitution.
"Kung ang Armed Forces ang tatanungin ay meron din po tayo syempreng limitasyon kagaya ng ating konstitusyon. Sinasabi sa ating Constitution, we renounce war as an instrument of national policy (For the armed forces, we have limitations such as our Constitution. It is stated in our Constitution that we renounce war as an instrument of national policy)," he said.
He said that if the Philippine Navy sends a warship or the Philippine Air Force deploys a fighter plane in the WPS, it might be misinterpreted as the AFP engaging China into a war.
"Hindi po natin mamabutihin na ganoon ang mangyari (We don't want that to happen)," he noted.
The official also acknowledged that the military's assets and manpower are simply "not enough" to ensure that every inch of the WPS will be covered by their patrols.
Four Philipppine Navy vessels, a Philippine Coast Guard patrol ship, and two other vessels from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) have initially been deployed in the WPS for sovereignty patrols, according to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS).
But Arevalo said the number of military ships in the WPS was increased to five to cover more areas in its patrols.
"To be honest eh, makakatulong po siyang madagdagan subalit hindi pa rin po 'yun sapat (To be honest, it will help increase but it is still not enough)," he said.
The AFP's Western Command (WesCom) covers military operations in the entire Palawan, including parts of the WPS. But Arevalo said WesCom is also not fully capable to conduct routine patrols in its entire area of concern.
"'Yong bahagi lamang po ng Western Command dyan sa Palawan umaabot po sa 490 square kilometers 'yong nasasakupan natin, 'yong ating exclusive economic zone. Hindi po ganoon karami ang barko na nakakapag-patrolya (The area covered by the Western Command in Palawan stretches to 490 square kilometres, our exclusive economic zone. There are not much ships that are patrolling there)," he said.
"Hindi po natin ito magagampapanan ng lubos kung ang atin pong limitadong air and naval assets ay hindi po madaragdagan (We will not be able to fulfill our duties if our limited air and naval assets will not be increased)," he added.
On the part of China, there were at least 11 warships from the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) deployed in the WPS as of April 11.
There were also 240 Chinese maritime militia (CMM) vessels dispersed in Pagkakaisa (Union) Banks and Pag-asa (Thitu) Island, and 10 CMM vessels in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal).
Escorted by the military warships of PLAN and CCG, the CMM vessels have reportedly occupied the traditional fishing grounds of Filipino fishermen, forcing the latter to find other places to catch fish.
But Arevalo assured the Filipino fishermen that it is still safe to fish in the WPS as maritime patrols were meant to ensure that they are protected and free from any form of harassment or intimidation.
"Ina-asistihin po naman natin, again hindi lamang po AFP ang involved dyan sa trabaho na 'yan. Lalung-lalo na po dyan ang Philippine Coast Guard sapagkat they are the enforcers of maritime laws, nandyan din po ang Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources sapagkat 'yan po ang kanilang tuwirang mandato. Ang sa atin po sa armed forces ay territorial integrity at national security (We are assisting them but again, the AFP is not the only one involved in that job. It Includes the Philippine Coast Guard because they are the enforcers of maritime laws, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources because that is their mandate. For the armed forces, it is to ensure our territorial integrity and national security)," he explained.