PBBM tells troops PH faces more complex problems over boundaries
The mission of the Armed Forces of the Philippines has evolved amid the “most difficult and complicated” issue on the South China Sea in this part of the world and the “intensification of the competition of superpowers,” President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in his talk to the troops before the Visayas Command in Cebu on Monday.
“If before, we had what we say to be clear boundaries of our country, now that is being questioned and several things are happening… We are facing a more complex foreign situation in the Philippines. As they say, in this part of the world, here in the Philippines, the South China Sea is the most complicated geopolitical situation in the world,” the President said.
“If there is a war in Ukraine, here the South China Sea is said to be the most difficult and most complicated problem.”
“This is why I say that the mission of the AFP has changed. And now we have effectively watched over matters that before we did not have to think much about. There was a time when we did not have to worry about these threats and the intensification of the competition between the superpowers,” the President added.
The commander-in-chief said the military “must adjust accordingly” to the changing security situation.”
“For many, many years, we were able to maintain that peace and maintain that understanding with all of our neighbors. Now things have begun to change and we must adjust accordingly,” he said.
For its part, the Philippine Coast Guard said Monday it would make public all incidents of Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea.
PCG adviser for maritime security Commodore Jay Tarriela said this would compel China to react and acknowledge its actions.
“The National Task Force [for the West Philippine Sea] believes that it is the obligation of the task force to make all these incidents publicized in a way that the public would be made aware of it,” he told ANC’s “Headstart.”
“Secondly, we also note that every time that we publicize those incidents, that’s the time the Chinese make reactions, even the Chinese embassy right now,” he added.
Earlier, Tarriela said at least 30 Chinese maritime militia and coast guard vessels that were spotted earlier in Ayungin and Sabina Shoals remain inside the country’s maritime domain.
He said it is now up to the Department of Foreign Affairs to decide on whether to lodge another diplomatic protest over the presence of Chinese vessels inside the country’s exclusive economic zone.
Beijing claims nearly the entire South China Sea and has refused to acknowledge a 2016 arbitral ruling invalidating its nine-dash-line maritime claim.
During the MDA flight, the PCG aircraft received “inaudible” English radio challenges from the Chinese Coast Guard vessel CCG-5304, prompting the PCG to issue a radio challenge.
Earlier this month, a CCG vessel also “shadowed” and pointed a military-grade laser toward the PCG patrol vessel BRP Malapascua, temporarily blinding some of its crew
Meanwhile, Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to broker updated security agreements with different countries that can help defend the Philippines from China’s continued aggression.
“We have to exhaust all possible ways to defend the Philippines from China’s shameless actions,” Hontiveros said.
A security agreement, she said, can serve as a defensive framework that would provide for joint patrols and training of Filipino troops.