Philippines removes markers from disputed waters

By Al

AFP News, Wednesday, June 15, 2011

The Philippines said Wednesday its navy had removed "foreign" markers installed on three reefs and banks in disputed areas of the South China Sea.

The removal of the wooden posts took place in May, just before the government formally protested over alleged incursions by the Chinese navy in Filipino territorial waters, Philippine navy spokesman Omar Tonsay said.

"They were foreign markers because they were not installed by our military or our government. So we dismantled them because they are part of Philippine territory," Lieutenant-Colonel Omar Tonsay told AFP.

The Philippine government has recently accused China of putting posts and a buoy in Filipino-claimed waters, but Tonsay said the navy had not been able to determine who placed the wooden posts that it removed in May.

"They did not have a 'Made in China' label or anything," Tonsay said, adding the posts had only numbers on them.

The markers were on Boxall Reef in the Spratly Islands, and in the nearby Amy Douglas Bank and Reed Bank, all of which are in waters of the South China Sea claimed by the Philippines and China.

Aside from the Philippines and China, Brunei, Malaysia, Taiwan and Vietnam have overlapping territorial claims to strategically vital and reputedly resource-rich areas of the South China Sea.

Tensions over the long-running dispute have escalated in recent months amid assertions by the Philippines and Vietnam that China has become increasingly aggressive in staking its claims to the areas.

The Philippines this month accused China of undermining peace and stability in Asia by allegedly sending naval vessels near Reed Bank to intimidate rival claimants, and of installing posts and a buoy in nearby areas.

The Philippines also protested over incidents in February to May, accusing the Chinese navy of opening fire on Filipino fishermen and intimidating a Philippine oil exploration ship.

Raising tensions further, Philippine President Benigno Aquino said on Tuesday that his country needed help from longtime ally the United States in its dispute with China.

Chinese embassy spokesmen in Manila did not answer telephone calls on Wednesday about the foreign markers.

A spokesman at the Philippines' foreign department declined to comment on the naval action.

news.yahoo.com

Sasakyan ng Phil. Navy sumirko sa NLEX: 6 sugatan

By Thony Arcenal
Police Files, Martes, Hunyo 14, 2011

PLARIDEL, BULACAN - Himalang nakaligtas sa tiyak na kamatayan ang limang miyembro ng Philippine Navy at isang miyembro ng Philipppine National Police makaraang sumabog ang kanang bahagi ng gulong nito sa kahabaan ng Km-40 sa North Luzon Expressway sakop ng Brgy. Lalangan.

Base sa inisyal na imbestigasyon ng mga otoridad dakong 5:20 ng hapon patungo sa bahagi ng North Luzon ang mga biktima nang sumalpok ng makailang beses sa concrete fence ang sinasakyan nilang blue Toyota Tamaraw Wagon (UUK-520) na minamaneho ni SSgt. Arturo Almanza, 42, ng Philippine navy.

Sa report na tinanggap ni P/SSupt. Fernando H. Mendez Jr. OIC PNP Provincial Director kinilala ang mga sugatang biktima na sina SSgt. Ronald Antonio y Soliven 38, ng Camp Aguinaldo Quezon City; MSgt. Alberto Misyon y Pinafel 51, ng Las Piñas City; SSgt. Jude Rivera y Guzon 46, at CTO Marion Alex Galapali y Mayrong, 54 ng Payatas QC at PO2 Francis Lustiano y Pallere, 37, ng San Pedro Laguna habang himala na walang tinamong ugat sa katawan si SSgt. Manulabnan.

Patuloy na nilalapatan ng lunas sa Our Lady of mercy Hospital sa bayan ng Pulilan ang mga biktima.

2 USS destroyer bababad sa Pinas

By JB Salarzon/Rose Miranda
Abante, Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Sampung araw na bababad sa katubigan ng Pilipinas ang dalawang sasakyang pandigma ng Estados Unidos, kasama ang isang United States Navy Ship (USNS) para sa gagawing joint naval exercises ng Philippine Navy sa Sulu Sea.

Ayon kay Lt. Col. Omar Tonsay, tagapagsalita ng Navy, makakasama sa aktibidad ang USS destroyer ‘Chung-Hoon’ (DDG 93), USS destroyer ‘Howard’ (DDG 83) at ang auxiliary support vessel na USNS ‘Safeguard’ (ARS 50) para sa 2011 Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT).

“Gaganapin ‘yung CARAT simula Hunyo 28 hanggang Hulyo 8,” ani Tonsay.

Ang Sulu Sea ay matatagpuan sa west eastern na bahagi ng Palawan.

Ang Chung-Hoon na may lulang 280 sailors ay umalis sa Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam base noong Hunyo 1 sa Hawaii patungong Western Pacific.

Hindi na ito ang unang pagkakataon na sasali ang Chung-Hoon sa military exercises sa bansa dahil nakasama rin ito ng Philippine Coast Guard noong nakaraang taon sa ginawang “boarding and searching vessels” sa Sulu Sea.

Sinabi ni Tonsay na ang Chung-Hoon ay nasa international waters pa lamang sa kanlurang bahagi ng bansa.

Sa bahagi naman ng Philippine Navy, sinabi ni Tonsay na na apat na barko at isang eroplano ang makakasali sa CARAT.

“We will be deploying in the joint exercises a patrol ship, two patrol gunboats and a logistic/landing ship. We will also deploy an Islander aircraft,” ani Tonsay.

Nilinaw din nito na walang kinalaman ang tensyon sa Spratlys ang gagawing CARAT dahil ito’y taunang ginagawa sa loob ng nakalipas na 10 taon.

Kaugnay nito, iniulat kahapon ng Malacañang na pinalalakas na ng pamahalaan ang kapasidad ng Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) at ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) para sa mas epektibong proteksyon sa karagatan ng Pilipinas.

abante.com.ph

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