5 days ago
Brawner calls out China for violating deal from 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. called out China Tuesday for sending a warship to Scarborough Shoal, saying that it violated the deal created after the standoff in the area in 2012.
'Hindi ba nagkaroon po ng standoff noong 2012, kung maalala ninyo. Ang usapan is aalis ang Philippine Navy at Chinese Navy. Tayo, umalis tayo. Sumunod tayo sa usapan,' Brawner said in an ambush interview during the 124th Police Service Anniversary Celebration at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
(There was a standoff in 2012, if you remember. The deal was that the Philippine Navy and the Chinese Navy would leave. We left. We followed the agreement.)
'Hindi sila sumunod. So it's really a violation of the agreement that we had in 2012,' he added.
(China didn't follow. So it's really a violation of the agreement that we had in 2012.)
While acknowledging the order of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. to keep the moral high ground, Brawner said the deployment of a Chinese warship in Scarborough is a different matter.
'Tayo we keep the moral high ground. Iyan po ang utos ng ating Pangulo. And we do not do aggressive tactics so hinahayaan natin ang China. Puwede tayo mag-protesta,' Brawner said.
(We keep the moral high ground. That is the order of our President. And we do not do aggressive tactics so we let China go. We can protest.) .
'Pero sa ngayon, nandoon na yung navy nila, ibang usapan na iyon,' he added.
(But now, their navy is there, that is another matter.)
Standoff
In April 2012, Manila and Beijing were locked in a dangerous standoff at the shoal when Chinese vessels prevented Philippine authorities from arresting Chinese fishermen allegedly poaching in the area.
Since then, China has beefed up its presence in the area and barred Philippine authorities and Filipino fishermen access.
Brawner said the AFP is set to have a meeting with Marcos and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to discuss the next steps and tactics to address China's actions restricting Philippine vessels from Scarborough Shoal, also called Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal.
Among the possible options are organizing a joint sail with other countries and the deployment of a Philippine warship to Scarborough Shoal, according to the AFP chief.
On Monday, the PCG as well as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) headed to Bajo de Masinloc to distribute aid to local fishermen as part of the Kadiwa program.
However, several Chinese vessels reportedly harassed Philippine vessels by using water cannon, performing dangerous maneuvers, and shadowing.
The PCG said PLAN 164 and China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 3104 collided while they were chasing PCG's BRP Suluan.
The CCG vessel sustained substantial damage, rendering it unseaworthy, according to the PCG. The flagpole of the PCG vessel was also damaged.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian on Monday maintained China's claim to the WPS, saying that it had to do what is 'necessary to safeguard our territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests in accordance with the law.'
'The Philippines' moves seriously infringed upon China's sovereignty and rights and interests, and seriously harmed peace and stability at sea. These moves are of a malign nature,' the Chinese Foreign Ministry said.
'China urges the Philippines to stop the infringement and provocative activities at once and refrain from challenging China's firm resolve to safeguard our lawful rights and interests,' he added.
Scarborough Shoal is located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales, and is considered within the Philippines' 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country's claim.
The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."
China has refused to recognize the decision. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
