Air patrols and surveys

The Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) sent an air patrol to Panatag Shoal last Tuesday. A C-295 of the Philippine Air Force flew at an altitude of 5,000 feet, and loitered in the air for half an hour in the area. Media personnel were invited on the flight. Four large, white ships of the Chinese Coast Guard, a Chinese fishing vessel and five fishing vessels from the Philippines were seen in the area. The aircraft was not told to veer off or change course, as they often do when aircraft or vessels fly or sail near areas they claim is theirs. Nolcom plans to send air patrols four times a month.

Recently, the USS Hopper sailed within 12 nautical miles of Panatag Shoal. Naturally, China accused the warship of violating their sovereignty. That would mean they have actually claimed Panatag as their own. Defense Secretary Lorenzana defended the Americans and said there was no problem with the ship’s sailing into international waters, which was in line with international law. If all it did was innocent passage, then there is no issue. Panatag Shoal is well within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines, but it is pretty obvious who has control over it. Nevertheless, you will not hear anything from this administration with regards to territorial claims, or sovereign rights. The Nolcom decided on the air patrols to assert that we still have sovereign rights to Panatag Shoal. I wonder when the Chinese will start calling to our aircraft to stay away from Panatag?

The University of the Philippines professor of maritime law took issue with Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque’s recent statements, saying that we are not a nation of beggars. According to Roque, the Philippines has no capability to conduct a survey at the Philippine Rise, because it is capital intensive. In other words, we don’t have the money, which China obviously has. According to Prof. Jay Batongbacal, this statement is based solely on ignorance, and called out the government for this falsehood. He states, “Government’s denigration of Filipino scientists and Filipinos in general, claiming they cannot explore the Benham Rise without China or Chinese money, is a total sham meant to disempower and demean Filipinos and their capacity and capability as a people. It makes Filipinos appear helpless, clueless and penniless on something already demonstrated they are not.” Prof. Batongbacal did not pull his punches on this one.

And to refute Roque’s statements, Prof. Batongbacal lists eight occasions where Filipinos, with the help of government funding, were able to survey, map, and study the Philippine Rise, and have acquired important data and information. But really, what else can we expect from this administration whenever China comes into the picture? That we have no money, we are not powerful, we cannot fight, we have no right, we don’t have the capability, and much more, while mentioning that China has everything. If there have been explorations and surveys done solely by Filipinos in the past, then why not just continue what they have started, funded by the government? Or is it because there is no money for something like this, especially after the salaries of policemen have been raised?

‘Really, what else can

we expect from this administration whenever China comes into the

picture?’