MANILA, Philippines- Dumami ang aktibidad ng pwersa ng Pilipinas sa West Philippine Sea (WPS), ayon sa Philippine Navy nitong Martes.
Sa isang press briefing, sinabi ni Philippine Navy spokesperson Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad na pinalakas ng militar ang pagsisikap nito sa WPS matapos ipag-utos ni Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. ang Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC).
“I would say majority if not all of the strategic assets of the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Air Force are now geared towards protecting, securing, and monitoring all the way up to our Exclusive Economic Zone. That includes the WPS,” ani Trinidad.
“So yes, there has been a dramatic increase in our activities in the West Philippine Sea after the pronouncement of the [Secretary of Defense],” dagdag niya.
Sinabi ni Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Colonel Francel Margareth Padilla na mula Oktubre 1 hanggang 18, nagsagawa ng “two sealift missions, 14 maritime or sovereignty patrols, one maritime surveillance patrol, one medical evacuation, and two rotation and resupply missions done by naval ships.”
Nagsagawa rin ang naval at air force aircraft ng apat na maritime air surveillance maging intelligence, surveillance, at reconnaissance operations, maging 40 maritime patrols.
“These patrols strengthen our monitoring of activities in the West Philippine Sea while ensuring seamless support for operations like maritime domain awareness, medical evacuation, and resupply missions” ani Padilla.
“The Armed Forces of the Philippines stands resolute in its mandate to uphold territorial integrity, maritime sovereignty, and regional stability while serving and protecting the interests of all Filipinos,” dagdag niya.
Inaangkin ng China ang halos kabuuan ng South China Sea sa kabila ng pagpabor sa Pilipinas ng international arbitration tribunal sa Hague, kung saan ibinasura ang claims ng China sa pagsasabing wala itong legal na basehan.
Subalit, hindi kinikilala ng China ang desisyon. RNT/SA