MANILA: Newly-installed Armed Forces chief Lt Gen Gregorio Catapang vowed to find ways to support soldiers securing Philippine territories in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) amid China’s efforts to shore up its presence in the area.
Catapang, who assumed as head of the 125,000-strong military yesterday, said they would continue with their re-supply operations and protect the country’s territorial integrity without being provocative.
“We will just maintain our presence because our mandate is to protect our territorial interest in the area and we will find ways and means to improve our re-supply to our soldiers there,” he told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City. Catapang said the latest re-supply operations in the West Philippine Sea went smoothly.
“We hope the same will happen under out watch,” Catapang said.
“If we need to re-supply our soldiers in our occupied islands, we will immediately give what they need,” the military chief said.
China has stationed ships in various areas in the West Philippine Sea, including those that are within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, to assert its territorial claims.
Last March, Chinese ships twice blocked Philippine vessels that were on a re-supply mission to the Ayungin Shoal, an area 105 nautical miles from mainland Palawan.
The shoal is being guarded by Marines stationed in BRP Sierra Madre, a grounded ship that serves as a Philippine military detachment.
The presence of Chinese ships has prodded the military to airdrop the supplies using islander and nomad planes.
Catapang also gave assurance that the Philippines won’t lose Recto (Reed) Bank to Chinese intruders.
The military, Catapang said, would continue to monitor the area as the government taps diplomatic channels to address the territorial row.
“We will report what is happening in the area and then we will follow whatever orders will be given to us by the Department of Foreign Affairs,” Catapang added.
The Philippine star
