US Naval units due for exercises

By Victor Reyes
Malaya, Tuesday, June 14, 2011

TWO United States destroyers and a salvage ship are proceeding to the country later this month to take part in exercises with their Filipino counterparts off Palawan.

Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay however said the exercises, dubbed Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) has nothing to do with the renewed territorial dispute over the Spratlys in the West Philippine Sea, also known as the South China Sea.

Tonsay said the annual training exercises would be pursued east of Palawan or in the Sulu Sea from June 28 up to July 8. The Spratlys - claimed by the Philippines, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei - is located west of Palawan.

Tonsay said the three US ships taking part in the exercises are USS Chung-Hoon and USS Howard, which are classified as destroyer ships; and USNS Safeguard, a rescue and salvage ship. He could not immediately say how many US servicemen will take part.

He said the USS Chung-Hoon is currently somewhere in international waters in the West Philippine Sea.

The CARAT exercises have been held for more than 10 years. The US is also conducting similar exercises with Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.

Tonsay statement’s came after Vietnam began yesterday conducting live fire exercises in its claimed territory in the South China Sea.

Like the Philippines, Vietnam recently accused China of violating its sovereignty.

malaya.com.ph

Pagsasanay ng Philippine Navy at Philippine Coast Guard, paghahanda sa pagbabantay sa mga coastline ng bansa

RMN News, Tuesday, June 14, 2011

IBINUNYAG ng palasyo ng Malacañang na nagsasanay na ang mga kawani ng Philippine Navy at Philippine Coast Guard sa pag-gamit ng bagong sasakyang pandagat ng Pilipinas na Hamilton Class Cutter na bago lang nakuha ng gobyerno.

Ayon kay Presidential Spokesman Edwin Lacierda inihahanda na ang naturang sasakyang pandagat upang magamit agad ito sa oras ng pangangailangan.

Ngunit iginiit nito na gagamitin lang ang Hamilton Cutler upang bantayan ang napakalaking coastline ng bansa pati na ang pagbabantay sa environmental protection tulad na lamang ng smuggling ng black corals sa Sulu Sea.

Sinabi naman nito na iiwan nalamang nila sa Department of National Defense kung ano pa ang ibang pag-gagamitan ng naturang sasakyang pandagat.

rmnnews.com

RP-US naval exercises in Palawan

By Aaron Recuenco

Manila Bulletin, Tuesday, June 14, 2011

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the rising tension over the disputed Spratly Islands, the naval forces of the United States and the Philippines will be holding almost two weeks of military war games off Palawan late this month.

But Marines Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay, Navy spokesman, said the joint military exercises are not a show of force with the country’s long-time ally, although the site of the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) for this year is proximate to the disputed island group.

“This is not related to that issue, this has been planned long before,” said Tonsay.

The Spratlys controversy cropped anew after the Philippines accused China of bullying and intruding in the disputed island groups which was backed up by another claimantcountry, Vietnam.

While the Philippines and Vietnam have been very vocal on the alleged bullying, it was Vietnam which reportedly started live-fire exercises near the disputed island group.

Tonsay would not confirm Vietnam’s live-fire drill, but stressed that no live-fire exercises are scheduled in the joint exercises between US and Philippines navies from June 28 to July 8.

What were initially listed, he revealed, are diving exercises, salvage exercises at sea, and sea training exercise, among others.

But even if there would be live-fire exercises, Tonsay stressed that other claimant-countries should not intervene for as long as they are held in international waters and within their respective territories.

“It (Vietnam live-fire drill) is not a provocative action, it is not a threat to security for as long as it is held in international waters or within its territory,” said Tonsay.

“In the same way that they are not supposed to take actions if we hold exercises within our territorial waters, all they could do is to monitor,” he added.

He said the CARAT activities is definitely not a provocative action on the part of the Philippines since both the US and the Philippines have been holding the exercises for 10 years now.

It was not clear, however, if this year’s CARAT will be held off Palawan for the first time. All that Tonsay could confirm is that CARAT activities are rotated in various parts of the country since it began 10 years ago.

“The objective is interoperability, our ability to operate with the US and vice versa and exchange of doctrinal and tactical best practices,” said Tonsay.

Tonsay revealed that three US ships will participate in the war games—USNS Safeguard, USS Howard and USS Chung Hoon— and will be joined by four Philippine Navy ships.

mb.com.ph

Navy removes China markers on West Philippine Sea

By Ces Oreña Drilon and Willard Cheng

ABS-CBN News, Tuesday, June 14, 2011

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Navy has removed markers in the West Philippine Sea that were placed by Chinese forces.

One was removed from the Reed Bank, which is now known as Recto Bank, one was taken from the Boxall Reef, while another from Douglas Bank.

The markers were placed by China without permission.

Meanwhile, Chinese and Vietnamese poachers are often sighted by villagers in Barangay Simpokan, Puerto Princesa, whose shores face the disputed Spratlys.

However, barangay officials, armed with only one patrol boat, can't go after them.

The Philippine Air Force recently observed Chinese and Vietnamese forces upgrading their facilities on the Spratly Islands.

In August, a second-hand ship from the U.S. Coast Guard will augment Philippine Navy forces in Palawan.

U.S. support for Philippines

The U.S. has also waded in on the Spratlys dispute.

U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas said being a treaty ally, America will support the Philippines.

"I wanna assure you that on all subjects, we, the United States, are with the Philippines. The Philippines and the United States are strategic treaty allies," he said. "We will continue to consult and work with each other on all issues including the South China Sea and Spratly Islands."

Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Liu Jianchao earlier said Washington should not interfere in the issue, since it is not a party to the Spratlys dispute.

This was echoed by Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei after Vietnam also asked the U.S. for help.

The U.S., however, did not categorically state if its support would include military aid if the tension gives way to armed conflict.

President Benigno Aquino III, meanwhile, is happy with Thomas' statement.

Aquino is insisting on the Philippines' right to search for oil within its territory.

He invoked the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) that states a country's territory extends 200 nautical miles from its shores.

Recto Bank is 80 nautical miles from Palawan, and is 576 miles away from China.

"So 576 is obviously greater than 200. So suddenly why should there be a dispute if we are conforming to international law?" Aquino asked.

"Siyempre they are a superpower, they have more than 10 times our population, we do not want any hostility to break out. Perhaps the presence of our treaty partner, which is the United States of America, ensures that all of us will have freedom of navigation."

The Philippines and China, however, both reiterate that they would like to peacefully settle the Spratlys dispute.

abs-cbnnews.com