The joint patrol by the Philippines and Australia in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) not only sharpens the operational capabilities of Filipino soldiers and sailors but also improve their mutual trust and friendship with their foreign counterparts.

This was the assessment given by Col. Medel Aguilar, spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), on the second day of the PH-Australia maritime cooperative activity (MCA) on Sunday, Nov. 26.

"Through this activity, we strengthen our partnership with armed forces of other countries and enhance the skills of our soldiers to operate with them. We also boost their individual skills as part of an organization, as well as their team or unit capabilities since they have to perform various tasks using our modern technologies and equipment," Aguilar said.

The three-day MCA, which will conclude on Nov. 27, aims to strengthen cooperation between the AFP and the Australian Defence Force through a number of maritime and aerial exercises.

Among these included a joint patrol where two Philippine Air Force (PAF) A29 Super Tucano aircraft flew over the WPS with a Royal Australian Air Force P-8A maritime surveillance aircraft while Philippine Navy (PN) vessels BRP Gregorio del Pilar and BRP Davao Del Sur sailed with Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Toowoomba on Nov. 25.

Shadow

As this developed, General Romeo Brawner Jr., AFP Chief of Staff, confirmed that the joint patrol on Saturday was shadowed by Chinese vessels while Chinese fighter jets circled around PAF Super Tucanos on Sunday.

According to Brawner, the PAF planes flew again over the WPS without the Australian counterpart and it was then that the Chinese aircraft flew close to them.

"The maritime activity was shadowed and then two Chinese fighter jets also circled our planes earlier this morning," he said.

It can be recalled that Chinese navy vessels shadowed Philippines and US navy warships when they conducted a joint patrol in WPS as part of their MCA from Nov. 21 to 23.

Col. Xerxes Trinidad, chief of AFP public affairs office, said the shadowing by China was already expected by the AFP and ADF.

"We are expecting that the PLA [People's Liberation Army) Navy will be doing the same, like following, monitoring and shadowing our participating ships," Trinidad said.

Trinidad insisted that the joint patrol by the AFP and ADF in WPS was aimed at strengthening both armed forces' interoperability "as like-minded allies and partners for regional peace and security."

"This is not actually directed to any other foreign countries but this is how partners and allies actually do their interoperability [exercises]. Marami tayong mga ginagawa niyan eh especially in our maritime domain (We have a lot of such activities especially in our maritime domain)," he added.

China earlier accused the Philippines of enlisting foreign forces in patrolling the South China Sea and stirring up trouble when the PH-US MCA was held.

This was refuted by the AFP while Department of National Defense (DND) Sec. Gilberto Teodoro Jr. said the Philippines is not stirring up trouble since it is China who executes dangerous maneuvers and blocks legitimate operations of the Philippines in its territorial waters.