May 18, 2012
GMA News
File photo of the the US Navy's USS North Carolina (SSN777) attack submarine.
One of the stealthiest submarines in the world, the USS North Carolina, docked in Subic Bay on Sunday, the US Pacific Command (Pacom) said.
According to Pacom, the Virginia class fast attack submarine’s Philippine visit was part of the vessel’s Western Pacific deployment.
“The crew is proud of our recent contributions as part of our country’s commitment to maintaining freedom of navigation, peace and stability in the region,” said Cmdr. Richard Rhinehart, the North Carolina’s commanding officer.
File photo of the the US Navy’s USS North Carolina (SSN777) attack submarine.
In a text message on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Asec. Raul Hernandez confirmed the sub’s Philippine presence. “USS North Carolina… [is] in Subic Bay, on routine ship replenishment.”
In a text message on Tuesday, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Asec. Raul Hernandez confirmed the sub’s Philippine presence. “USS North Carolina… [is] in Subic Bay, on routine ship replenishment.”
Hernandez noted the submarine will be in the Philippines until May 19.
“North Carolina is one of the stealthiest, most technologically advanced submarines in the world,” Pacom claimed.
With a crew of 133, the submarine measures more than 350 feet long and weighs more that 7,800 tons when submerged.
“She brings to the region the capability to conduct the full spectrum of potential submarine missions including anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface ship warfare, strike, naval special warfare involving special operations forces, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and mine warfare,” Pacom noted.
Master chief Jon Consford said the visit constitutes “rest and relaxation.”
“Everyone is looking forward to some good liberty, rest and relaxation during our port visit here in Subic Bay… The crew has worked hard and developed tremendously as a team over the last five and a half months,” he said in the same Pacom report.
US presence escalates PHL-China tension–CPP
Meanwhile, amid the increasingly tense standoff between Beijing and Manila in Panatag Shoal, the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) said in a statement on Sunday that US military presence escalates the tension between the two Asian countries.
“It is US military buildup… in the Asia-Pacific that is pushing China to further aggressiveness, resulting in worsening territorial conflicts and stoking diplomatic tensions between China and the Philippines,” the statement read.
Though the group backed the assertion of Philippine sovereignty over Panatag Shoal, it noted that the country should not lean on the US for military aid.
“In the past, the conflicts in the South China Sea have never been a source of great tension between the Philippines and China,” they said.
“Without the presence and interference of the US, claimant countries, including China, have been able to work together with each other with the aim of resolving the conflicts through diplomacy and negotiations,” CPP claimed.
Amid the dispute, the US and the Philippines issued a joint statement on April 30 reinstating the alliance “undergirding regional peace, security, and prosperity. — VS/KG/HS, GMA News
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RELATED STORY:
Second US nuclear sub cancels port visit in Subic
Source: Subic Times
USS North Carolina being assisted by tugboats after it arrived here in Subic Sunday. Photo by David Bayarong
SUBIC BAY Freeport:Another US submarine which was supposed to port here in Subic has suddenly cancelled its schedule.
Sources said that USS Tucon, a nuclear powered attack submarine by the United States was supposed to dock in Subic’s port on the 19th but suddenly cancelled.
The cancelation came 2 days after USS North Carolina was spotted docked at Alava pier here and caught the attention of local and foreign media after www.subictimes.com posted its picture Tuesday.
USS North Carolina being assisted by tugboats after it arrived here in Subic Sunday. Photo by David Bayarong
The arrival came as dispute between the Philippines and China continue regarding Scarborough Shoal which is located in the province of Zambales.
Subic Bay Freeport is located at the edge of Zambales and is only 10 towns away from Masinloc which is the nearest town in the Philippines to the disputed shoal.
Philippine Navy spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Omar Tonsay said that the US submarine which arrived in Subic Sunday had nothing to do with the matter (China-Philippine standoff).
Meanwhile, handful members of the Kilusan para sa Pambansang Demokrasya (KPD) on Wednesday staged a lighting rally in front of the main gate of Subic Bay Freeport against the arrival of USS North Carolina.
KPD also called on the government to scrap the Visiting Forces Agreement between US and the Philippines.
“We don’t need the help of anyone to protect our territory particularly in Scarborough Shoal,” Lea Montemayor of KPD said.
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