All PH-claimed islands in Spratlys secured – AFP chief

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Eduardo Año has assured that all nine islands claimed by the Philippines within the Spratlys Group of Islands are being tightly guarded by government troops amid fears of possible Chinese incursions

Tightly guarded by Philippine troops are Kota Island, Pag-asa, Ayungin

(Second Thomas) Shoal, Lawak (Nanshan) Island, Parola (Northeast Cay) Island, Patag (Flat) Island, Rizal (Commodore) Reef, Likas (West York) Island, and Panata (Lankiam Cay) Island.

Año gave this assurance in the wake of reports that a Chinese flag had been planted in the sandbar near Kota (Loaita) Island.

“Meron tayong mga kaukulang pwersa dyan. Lahat ng nine islands, reefs, and atolls ay may mga sundalo (We have enough forces there. All nine islands, reefs, and atolls have soldiers),” Ano told reporters during the send-off ceremony of the 105-strong, all-female Civil Relations Company (CRC) to Marawi City, held at Villamor Airbase, Pasay City, on Tuesday.

“Ang priority natin ay ma-improve ang kalagayan ng Pag-asa Island lalo na iyung pag-refurbish at pagrenovate ng runway (Our priority is to improve the conditions of Pag-asa Island, especially the renovation of the runway),” Ano said.

Año said despite China's objection, they are not violating the Code of Conduct, which allows the improvement of the island's reefs and shoals that a country is presently occupying.

“What is prohibited in the declaration of the Code of Conduct is the occupation of additional area island or atolls,” he said.

Año explained that what was found planted in the sandbar near Kota Island was only an indigenous pole with sort of plastics and sacks.

“It was not a Chinese flag, it was just an indigenous pole with sort of plastics and sacks para, tingin namin ginawa itong guide para sa mga naglalayag (it was used as a guide for seafarers),” Ano said.

“No, hindi tayo but we are the ones that removed, tinanggal natin yun (We did not put it up there, but we are the ones who removed it)," he added.

Earlier, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano said a Chinese flag was supposedly discovered planted on the Philippine-controlled Sandy Cay seven nautical miles from Kota Island.

Alejano, a vocal critic of President Duterte, however, declined to reveal his source but claimed the flag was found last month.

Alejano's statement came following the warning issued by Senior Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio that China has virtually invaded another territory, a sandbar near Pag-asa Island.

President Duterte, however, disputed Carpio's claim, saying China was not invading such territory.

Meanwhile, an official replica of the first scientific map of the Philippines was turned over to the Philippine Army by the Asian Institute of Journalism and Communications (AIJC) at the Army Museum on Tuesday.

Mel V. Velarde, chairman of the AIJC, personally turned over the replica of the “Mother of all Philippine Maps” to the Army during the ceremony led by Army chief Lt. Gen. Glorioso Miranda.

The disputed Scarborough Shoal and the Spratlys Group of Islands were visible in the map. It serves as a reminder of the country’s sovereignty and territorial rights which the Philippine Army has sworn to protect.

“The importance of this map cannot be denied. This will form part of our heritage right. We are going to take care of it and sooner or later the future generation would know who really are,” Miranda said.

Miranda expressed his gratitude to Velarde, adding, “it is not only a donation, it is a reawakening item telling us who we really are.”

The Mother of all Philippine Maps otherwise known as the 1734 Murillo Velarde Map was procured by Velarde through an auction by Sotheby’s in the United Kingdom last 2014.

“This contribution is nothing compared to the contribution you are doing. One day your contribution will be more than enough and what you individually can do, collectively you will be triumphant and we are sure of that,” Velarde said as he shared his advocacy.

Velarde donated the original copy of the map to the national government through the Office of the Solicitor General.