Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 22) — The country’s military chief on Thursday floated the possibility of urgently constructing structures in parts of the West Philippine Sea being disputed by China after the East Asian giant failed to keep its word that it will maintain the status quo in the area.
Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Cirilito Sobejana said there has been a previous agreement that no claimant will build structures on the disputed areas of the West Philippine Sea, but China has clearly reneged when it proceeded with its massive construction there.
“We are entertaining the idea, of course subject to the wisdom of the NTF-WPS (National Task Force for West Philippine Sea), na magtatayo tayo ng mga istraktura sa lugar katulad ng ginagawa din ng China,” he said in a virtual media briefing.
“Ang dahilan bakit hindi tayo nagtatayo diyan noong araw kasi may napagusapan na wala dapat magpatayo. Dapat magpatayo na tayo starting now,” he added in remarks expected to draw the ire of China and other claimants.
[Translation: We are entertaining the idea of building structures there like what China is doing. We did not build structures there before because that what what we agreed on. We should start constructing now.]
Aside from the Philippines and China, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam also have claims in the South China Sea.
Manila had earlier protested Beijing’s “illegal” building of artificial islands and structures in parts of the Kalayaan Island Group, an area claimed by China but considered by the Philippines as part of Palawan.
Earlier this month, around 200 suspected Chinese militia vessels were seen at Julian Felipe Reef. As of April 11, China had 240 militia vessels, four navy warships, and two China Coast Guard vessels in areas within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, according to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, an inter-agency body.
The Philippine government has filed several diplomatic protests and issued repeated demands for China to withdraw its vessels.
Sobejana refused to say how many of China’s maritime militia are left in the area, adding that the data is within the purview of the NTF-WPS.
He denied inaction from the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte, who still keeps warm ties with China. He said there have been discussions with Chinese officials, but they have been futile because both sides insist on ownership — with the Philippines citing the 2016 arbitral ruling that invalidated China’s historic claims to nearly the entire South China Sea and recognized the country’s sovereign rights in parts of its exclusive economic zone which Beijing contests.
“Tsina-challenge natin sila na teritoryo natin ito, nandito kayo sa exclusive economic zone namin at dapat kayo ay umalis. Ganoon din ang challenge na ginagawa nila sa ating mga sasakyang pandagat,” he said.
[Translation: We are challenging them by telling them this is our territory, you are in our exclusive economic zone and you should leave. They pose the same challenge on our vessels.]
Admitting limitations, the military chief said the AFP is trying its best to protect Filipino fishermen and preserve the country’s marine resources in the West Philippine Sea by deploying 10 naval assets amid the massing of China’s fishing vessels and maritime militia at the Julian Felipe Reef and other reefs. Also known as Whitsun, Julian Felipe Reef is also being claimed by Vietnam.
Duterte on Monday worried that there is no way for the country to take back the West Philippine Sea “without any bloodshed.” He also said he will send Navy warships to the area once China conducts oil drills inside the Philippines’ EEZ.
But Sobejana said a war with China should be the last option.
“Anything may happen, but last option na ang giyera na maaaring iniisip ninyo [The last option is a war]. We have to exert other means to resolve this problem in a diplomatic and peaceful manner,” he said.
The AFP is only conducting “unilateral patrols” in the West Philippine Sea for now even as experts urge holding joint patrols with the United States. He said other allies may step up to take this challenge with the Philippines since that area is a navigational route.
Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said now is the time to revisit joint patrols in Philippine waters with the US, a longtime ally, to “confront the bullying tactics of China.”
