MANILA – The Philippines will increase its presence in the contested West Philippine Sea (WPS) as the Department of National Defense (DND) assured that the government is ready to defend the sovereignty and marine resources.
“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 (PCG) ships to conduct sovereignty patrols and protect our fishermen in the West Philippine Sea,” DND secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a statement late Saturday night.
A Philippine Navy ship and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) according to Lorenzana, are monitoring the situation in WPS. He added that the Philippine Air Force deploys an element of AS-211 jet aircraft every day.
“Our air and sea assets are ready to protect our sovereignty and sovereign rights in the WPS and KIG (Kalayaan Island Group),” said Lorenzana.
The DND is also coordinating with PCG and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
“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,” said Lorenzana.
“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.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines reported a week ago the presence of around 220 Chinese fishing vessels at the Julian Felipe Reef, a large boomerang-shaped, shallow coral reef at the northeast of Pagkakaisa Banks and Reefs (Union Reefs) located approximately 175 nautical miles west of Bataraza, Palawan.
Last week, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) lodged a note verbale to protest the “unauthorized and lingering” presence of Chinese ships in and around the Julian Felipe Reef.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands on July 12, 2016, ruled in favor of the Philippines against China over the disputed South China Sea. China, meanwhile, refused to acknowledge the ruling./PN
