MANILA, Philippines – Inaasahan ang mas maraming pagpapatrolya ng mga modernong barko ng Philippine Navy sa paligid ng Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) bilang bahagi ng pagpapatibay ng soberanya ng Pilipinas sa West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Ayon kay Roy Vincent Trinidad, matagumpay na nagsagawa kamakailan ng unilateral patrol ang guided-missile frigate na BRP Diego Silang (FFG-7) malapit sa Bajo de Masinloc.
“Recently BRP Diego Silang (FFG-7) conducted a unilateral patrol close to Bajo de Masinloc. She was armed with the Arbitral Tribunal Ruling of 2016. She was met by four PLAN warship that were armed with a non-existent claim. The patrol was successfully conducted,” ani Trinidad.
Sinabi rin niya na apat na barko ng Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ang nakasalubong ng barko ng Pilipinas, ngunit naisagawa pa rin ang misyon.
“You can expect more unilateral patrols and bilateral and multilateral activities close to Bajo de Masinloc in the coming months,” dagdag niya.
Ayon sa AFP, sapat ang bilang at kakayahan ng mga barko ng Philippine Navy para magsagawa ng mga patrol at iba pang operasyon sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng bansa. Dagdag ni Trinidad, mas moderno na ngayon ang hukbong-dagat at may mas mahusay na mga sensor at mas malawak na saklaw ng operasyon.
Nilinaw din niya na walang namonitor na senyales na inihanda ng mga barkong Tsino ang kanilang fire control systems laban sa BRP Diego Silang.
“There was no monitored activity that would point to activation of sensors or fire control systems. Nevertheless, BRP Diego Silang challenged their presence, reminded them that based on the Arbitral Tribunal Ruling and domestic law that they have no right to be in Philippine waters,” aniya.
Samantala, dumating na sa Joint Base Pearl Harbor noong Hunyo 21 ang guided-missile frigate na BRP Miguel Malvar (FFG-6) para lumahok sa Rim of the Pacific Exercise 2026 mula Hunyo 24 hanggang Hulyo 31.
Pinamumunuan ni Ryan Bakabak ang Naval Task Group 84 na lalahok sa isa sa pinakamalaking multinational maritime exercises sa mundo.
Ayon sa US Pacific Fleet, lalahukan ang RIMPAC 2026 ng 31 bansa, humigit-kumulang 40 barkong pandigma, limang submarino, 140 sasakyang panghimpapawid, at mahigit 25,000 personnel.
Kabilang sa mga pagsasanay ang amphibious operations, missile at gunnery drills, anti-submarine warfare, air defense exercises, humanitarian assistance and disaster response, counter-piracy operations, mine clearance, at diving at salvage operations. RNT/MND
