3 days ago
PH Navy: Contingencies in place after Chinese ship ran aground near Pagasa Island
The Philippine Navy on Tuesday said there are contingencies in place in case China deliberately grounded its ship near Pagasa Island.
In a press briefing, Philippine Navy spokesperson for West Philippine Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad was asked if the military believes China intended to ground the vessel in the area.
'In the Philippine Navy and in the Armed Forces, we do not deal on speculation. Nevertheless, we have appropriate contingencies in place for any eventuality,' Trinidad said.
A suspected Chinese maritime militia vessel with bow number 16838 on Saturday ran aground at Pagasa Reef 1, which is around one nautical mile from Pagasa Island.
The Chinese vessel was likely driven into the shallow area due to adverse sea conditions with two to three meters of waves as well as strong winds.
A China Coast Guard (CCG) ship with bow number 5102 contacted the Chinese maritime militia vessel during the incident.
After three hours, the Chinese vessel was able to free itself without external assistance.
'The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) was able to spot the rubber boat and to check on the safety of life and the equipment aboard the ship,' Trinidad said.
'There was no report initially of the environmental damage. Hindi naman siya ganun katagal nakasadsad doon (It wasn't stranded there for that long),' he added.
Earlier, United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth warned that the threat from China was potentially imminent as he pushed allies in the Indo-Pacific to spend more on their own defense needs.
Trinidad pointed out Philippine agencies have to do their mandate and do not need to wait for China to perform military actions.
'We don't have to wait for any military action to be conducted. Nevertheless, your forces will keep performing its mandate. We have seen in the past how they have been coercive, and aggressive actions done against our Philippine Navy, our forces, and other government agencies,' Trinidad said.
'We will keep performing our mandate not only us, but with support from other like-minded nations,' he added.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Army is planning to deploy personnel to the West Philippine Sea features soon amid the ongoing tension in the area.
'Yes, soon. I am just waiting for them to call on the Army. We're ready,' Philippine Army chief Lieutenant General Roy Galido said.
'Based on our Katihan exercises, the Army right now is highly mobile and very agile. It can be lifted, a battalion size or 500-men unit, can always be lifted anytime and can be brought to any place in the country,' he added.
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. —VAL, GMA Integrated News
