PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino 3rd has ordered the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to provide security for offshore oil drilling and oil exploration in the western part of the Philippines, including the disputed Spratly Islands.
During his speech at the change of command ceremony at the PCG headquarters in Manila, President Aquino said that the Coast Guard has been put in charge of securing the area.
“Bukod sa paninigurong walang nakakapasok na masasamang elemento tulad ng droga, piniratang gamit at anumang bagay na banta sa seguridad ng ating bansa, tinitiyak din ng PCG na malinis at ligtas sa polusyon ang ating teritoryong pandagat (Apart from ensuring that illegal drugs, pirated stuff and any other things that pose a threat to national security, the PCG will also ensure that our territorial waters are free and safe from pollution),” the President added.
“Kaya naman ipinagkatiwala ko sa PCG ang offshore drilling and oil exploration sa kanlurang bahagi ng Pilipinas. Katuwang namin kayo sa pagtuklas ng mga potensyal na pagmumulan ng karagdagang enerhiya para sa mga Pilipino (That was why I entrusted to PCG the securing of the offshore drilling and oil exploration in the western part of the Philippines. You in the PCG are our partners in discovering potential sources of energy for Filipinos),” Mr. Aquino said.
Last month, two Chinese patrol boats threatened to ram a Philippine survey ship that was conducting seismic tests in Reed Bank, 250 kilometers west of Palawan.
The government filed a diplomatic protest with Chinese government over the incident that allegedly gained scant attention from Beijing.
Newly installed PCG commander and Vice Admiral Ramon Liwag said that they will provide the security asked of them by the President.
He described the Spratly Islands as a “sensitive area.”
“We have a claim to the islands, but of course, in order not to be provocative (in connection with our claim), we use a civilian agency, for that matter, the Philippine Coast Guard,” he said.
Liwag new PCG head
The Presiden installed Liwag as the new PCG chief, replacing Wilfredo Tamayo during the change of command ceremony at the PCG headquarters.
During his speech, he said that he was confident that Liwag would continue the reforms started by his predecessor.
Mr. Aquino challenged the new PCG head to resist any temptation.
“Ang hamon ko sa iyo, Admiral Liwag: huwag kang magpapahila sa tukso ng panlalamang. Naitalaga ka upang maglingkod ng marangal sa iyong mga Boss; huwag mo silang bibiguin,” he said.
Meanwhile, Taiwanese coast guards stationed in the South China Sea where the Spratlys are will undergo rigorous combat training, an official said on Tuesday, in response to China’s more assertive stance in disputed waters.
The guards posted in the area will receive training akin to that of members of Taiwan’s elite Marine Corps, said Wang Chung-yi, the deputy chief of the Coast Guard Administration.
“We need strength to defend our sovereignty,” he told Agence France-Presse.
Wang did not provide details about the training, but the Liberty Times newspaper said that it would include skills in areas such as coastal defense against amphibious attack.
Taiwan’s Goast Guard Administration currently has a base on Taiping, the biggest island in the disputed Spratlys archipelago.
The island, which has a runway to smooth logistical support, is reported to have a garrison of about 130 guards.
The move comes as China becomes increasingly assertive in the potentially resource-rich South China Sea, after several years of relative quiet.
Taiwan on Monday reiterated its claims to the Spratlys, along with three other island groups in the South China Sea, amid a flare-up in tensions between the Philippines and China over rival claims.
“We urge the Philippines not to take any unilateral move that will spark controversy in the South China Sea,” Taiwan’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei, China, Malaysia, and the Philippines claim all or part of the Spratlys, which could lie on top of large oil reserves.
The Philippine military last week said that it planned to use a new US-made vessel to boost patrols in the disputed waters, after a complaint about Chinese patrol boats harassing a Philippine oil exploration vessel in the area.
Manila also announced plans to pursue oil exploration in the area and to upgrade its military airfield on one of the islands, while lodging a formal protest at the United Nations over China’s claims.
AFP
