By VICTOR REYES
MALAYA
MALAYA
A RANKING official of the National Security Council yesterday related incidents showing what he said was China’s “aggressive behavior” in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) and called for additional defense funding to uphold the country’s interest in the region.
Vicente Agdamag, deputy director general of the NSC Secretariat, said China’s acts confirm its “clear intention to consolidate its control” over the disputed area in line with the Chinese government’s nine-dash-line policy claim over most of the West Philippine Sea where the disputed Spratly Islands are.
The claim is subject of a complaint filed by the Department of Foreign Affairs last January before the United Nations. Aside from the Philippines and China, also claiming the Spratlys are Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Taiwan.
“It started actually in March 2011 when a Chinese patrol ship challenged MV Veritas Voyager conducting a survey for Forum Energy, 85 nautical miles off Palawan,” he said, referring to an incident at Reed Bank or Recto Bank in the Spratly Islands.
Defense and military officials have said two Chinese ships harassed the Department of Energy-commissioned ship doing the survey. The Chinese ships told the crew of the Filipino ship to cease their activities because that is part of Chinese territory.
The Chinese vessels left when the AFP Western Command based in Puerto Princesa City dispatched a Navy Islander aircraft and an Air Force OV-10 bomber plane. No armed confrontation was reported.
Among incidents Agdamag related was how Chinese ships prevented a Philippine Navy vessel, the BRP Gregorio del Pilar, from arresting Chinese fishermen caught engaged in illegal fishing at Scarborough Shoal, locally known as Panatag Shoal and Bajo de Masinloc, in April last year, that triggered a standoff.
China is now virtually in control of the shoal. The Philippines, in June last year, withdrew its two ships from the shoal due to inclement weather, leaving China in complete control of the area which is 124 nautical miles from Zambales.
“Lately, we received reports that (Chinese) surveillance ships are imposing a 24-kilometer wide ban on fishing in the area. They are imposing an exclusion zone already in Bajo de Masinloc,” said Agdamag, a retired Navy rear admiral.
As of April this year, he said, there were nine Chinese vessels at the shoal – five fisheries law enforcement command (FLEC) vessels and four Chinese maritime surveillance ships.
He also noted China’s establishment of Sansha City in Woody Island near China and Vietnam “to oversee and exercise the administrative control” over its claimed islands in the South China Sea, and China’s issuance of passports showing a nine-dash line map and threatened to board foreign vessels in the disputed areas.
He also said Eugenio Bito-onon, mayor of Pagasa town in the Kalayaan Group of Islands within the Spratlys, was harassed twice by Chinese vessels – one in November last year and the latest was last May – in the disputed area.
Last February, Agdamag said, three Chinese Navy ships entered the West Philippine Sea to conduct patrol and training mission and anti-piracy drills. A month later, several Chinese “modern warships” were also dispatched for training missions in the Bashi channel between Philippines and Taiwan.
Last March, a Chinese destroyer, two frigates, an amphibious ship and helicopters and amphibious tanks conducted an eight-day military drill in the Spratly Islands, he said.
“Right now, there are 18 maritime surveillance ships operating in our area,” Agdamag said.
He did not say if there are Chinese military ships still within the Philippine territory.
Agdamag said the issue is being addressed by the Philippines based on its national security policy and goals, referring to the political, diplomatic, and legal actions taken against China.
He said the military is establishing a “minimum deterrent capability,” referring to the military’s modernization program.
President Aquino recently signed a law allocating P75 billion for the implementation of the military’s modernization program until the end of his term in 2016.
Agdamag said the National Security Council is recommending “an increase in our investment for defense, from .5 to 1 percent of the GDP (gross national product).”
Last year’s GDP was P5.6 trillion.
He said the proposed increase is on top of the budget of the defense and military establishments, which is equivalent to 1.1 percent of the national budget.
“We are recommending an additional of 0.5 to 1 percent (of GDP), not only to be at par with our neighbors (but) more importantly to develop a modicum of a credible defense capability to protect our maritime and strategic interest,” he said.
Agdamag said the country needs to enhance its security relations with other countries, especially with the US “when it is still able to deter China to buy time and develop (military capability).”
He added: “We need to pursue a healthy and friendly relationship with China and work with her for regional peace and prosperity… to buy us time to grow our economy and expand our military capabilities to defend ourselves. So right now, we are buying time. We need at least 10 years with sustained economic growth of 7 to 8 percent in order to grow our capability upgrade program.”
Also, he disclosed an ongoing review of the “contingency plans” of the AFP’s Northern Luzon Command and Western Command. He did not elaborate.
The Scarborough Shoal in under jurisdiction of Nolcom while West Philippine Sea is under the area of responsibility of the Wescom.
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