MANILA, Philippines - A Philippine Navy supply ship has reached Pag-Asa Island in the Kalayaan Island Group in the Spratlys and has unloaded troops and fresh provisions.
The BRP Benguet (LST 507) dropped anchor off Pag-Asa Island the other day but has yet to complete unloading its cargo of food and other supplies due to bad weather, according to a source.
“Our Navy supply ship arrived there the other day but it is still unloading supplies,” the Palawan-based source told The STAR yesterday.
The ship will return to its base in Palawan today if it completes its delivery. The source did not say how many troops were brought in or if some had been pulled out after completing their one-month tour of duty.
Nine civilian residents of Pag-Asa, including an infant, were among the passengers of the ship.
Pag-Asa, also called Isla, is home to 60 civilians. It is the biggest of the seven islets occupied by Filipino troops in the Kalayaan group. A retired administrator of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in Palawan, Eugenio Bito-onon Jr., is mayor of Kalayaan.
The arrival of the Benguet came amid increasing tensions in the West Philippine Sea stoked by reports of intrusions by Chinese vessels and aircraft into areas within Philippine jurisdiction.
The Philippines has deployed its biggest warship, World War II-era BRP Rajah Humabon, “for routine patrol within the country’s territorial waters” near Palawan.
Aside from China, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei also have claims in the Spratly Islands. The area is believed to contain huge deposits of oil and gas.
Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay declined to comment if the Benguet had indeed already reached Pag-Asa.
No agitation
At Malacañang, officials said their statements reiterating the country’s right to defend its territories were not meant to agitate China.
“I do not view this as an agitation and I don’t think the Chinese would view it as an agitation either. We’re trying to communicate with many audiences here, the international community is just one audience,” Secretary Ricky Carandang of the President’s Communications group said.
He was reacting to proposals for Palace spokespersons including himself to desist from making any more statements that could hurt the country’s diplomatic ties with China.
“In my view, the people also want to know what is the Aquino government’s take and what it is doing to protect its territory on the issue of the West Philippine Sea. So, I think this will not make it worse if we explain it to the public,” he said in Filipino.
“We’re not agitating the situation. If you listen to what Lacierda and I and Valte have been saying about these issues with regard to West Philippine Sea, we’ve been very deliberate, we’ve been very careful in our statements,” Carandang stressed. He was referring to palace spokesman Edwin Lacierda and deputy spokesperson Abigail Valte.
He admitted that their statements were sometimes “lost in translation” in media.
“But in our view, we did nothing wrong in explaining to the public what the government is doing on this issue. We’re trying to communicate with many audiences here,” he said.
“The issue with China has been dealt with on a number of levels. There is the level that the public sees through the media. There is the diplomatic level. There are also discussions on the ASEAN level. So there are many levels,” Carandang pointed out.
He also stressed that the Rajah Humabon would not sail beyond the country’s territorial waters. “No, it’s not going beyond our waters and I think we have sovereign right to take our vessels and travel within our territory anytime we want to,” he said.
No need for NSC meet
Malacañang also said there was no need to convene the National Security Council (NSC) as proposed by Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile, despite the West Philippine Sea situation.
Carandang said the Philippines would continue discussions with China through all channels to ease the simmering tensions. He also denied allegations that the Palace did not want former President and now Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo invited to the meeting.
He said the visit of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. to China is a welcome development as it would give him the chance to discuss with Chinese officials improving bilateral ties.
The Palace earlier welcomed statements from the United States, Australia and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) calling for a peaceful resolution of the West Philippine Sea dispute.
Carandang said he was not aware of any plans to convene the NSC for the West Philippine Sea issue. He said this would be up to the security cluster members to decide.
“Certainly, Senator Enrile’s words have much weight. Let the security cluster decide whether the National Security Council should already be convened. But certainly, Senator Enrile’s opinions will be taken into account,” Carandang said.
“I’m sure this (proposal) will reach the national security cluster and they will consider if they need to convene the National Security (Council),” he said.
Carandang also said there are different approaches to tackling security issues aside from convening the NSC where past presidents would have to be invited.
“You have the National Security Cluster which is the primary mechanism for addressing these issues. In our view, the response of the government on what is happening is enough,” Carandang said.
“We have a natural security cluster, the main mechanism that we use to deal with security issues,” he said.
“At this time, it seems the attention being given is sufficient as well as the steps being taken by the security cluster to address this issue,” Carandang said.
Assurance, again
A United States defense official, meanwhile, reiterated his country’s readiness to assist the Philippines in its defense needs.
In a report to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Philippine embassy in Washington said Vice Admiral William E. Landay III, Director of the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), gave the assurance recently during a meeting with Philippine Ambassador to Washington Jose Cuisia.
In the meeting, Cuisia highlighted the excellent working relationship among agencies of the two countries in exploring avenues for better security cooperation, address common concerns and advance mutual interests. He cited the assistance provided by the US to modernize the Philippine military.
“He (Landay) remarked that the US stands ready to assist the Philippines in its defense needs,” the embassy said.
US Ambassador Harry K. Thomas Jr. last week made the same assurance and stressed the preeminence of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in settling territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea.
In May, Washington assured the Philippines of its commitment to help “whenever the country is in harm’s way.”
The Philippines has brought the matter before the United Nations.
Meanwhile, Marbel, South Cotabato Bishop Dinualdo Gutierrez said the country should be prepared to defend its territory even with its antiquated ships.
“We have to defend that (Spratly Islands). We should ask the United Nations to define our territory. I think it was defined even before. But once again, we have to define our territory, we have to defend it even if we would use our oldest and biggest naval ship,” Gutierrez said over the Church-run Radio Veritas.
He added that asserting the Philippines’ right over the disputed territory would unite Filipinos.
“It will ignite the Filipino’s patriotism. Why (should) we allow China to bully us, it is a very righteous cause of our land. We should continue educating our people and let us pursue our case before the United Nations,” the Mindanao-based prelate said.
But diplomacy should prevail, Gutierrez said, adding he is not against the idea of putting up more structures “even a small one” with a Philippine flag in Spratlys.
“We could also put people there and just supply them with food,” he said.
By Jaime Laude, The Philippine Star
With Aurea Calica, Pia Lee-Brago, Delon Porcalla, Evelyn Macairan
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