And the latest shocker: The incompetence and the corruption continue! Mr Aquino and his agents played and are playing partisan politics as Tacloban and the rest of the Visayas 'burned' and continue to burn in the post Yolanda-Haiyan catastrophe.

By Anne de Bretagne
12 December 2013
for the Philippine Sabah Claim Forum

On the Philippine front: Year 2013 has been for me a most disappointing year.

Firstly, because whatever one says, Mr Aquino and many in his Govt of merry men gave up Panatag Shoal without batting an eyelash. The Philippine Navy until the reign of Mr Aquino had always fought to keep Panatag Shoal despite their meagre assets. In the 90s, the PN did not allow poachers in it and kept intruders in check. Today, we can say goodbye to Panatag Shoal. Yes, the Philippines has raised the issue to the United Nations but I am under no illusion that even if the UN verdict is in our favour, Panatag will not be returned to PH. Let's face it: China has succeeded in stationing themselves right in our EEZ and there's nothing much we can do about it because the man who is supposed to lead this country does not possess the moral courage and the mental acumen to lead and do something about it.

Secondly, the Sabah stand off showed the true colours of the President of the Republic by overtly siding with Prime Minister Najib and the Malaysian murderers of Tausugs who had gone to Sabah to stake their claim. Mr Aquino, in his bid to honour the memory of his father and his so-called promise to the Malaysians, wittingly left out the Tausugs in his hurry to form the Malaysia-engineered Bangsamoro with the MILF rebels.

Thirdly: Filipinos then discovered the massive corruption industry that's been keeping Philippine politics alive and thriving which is also known as the Pork Barrel Corruption industry! The industry is still thriving last time I read the news but just renamed: DAP.

Fourthly: And while PH was still reeling from the incredibly corrupt Pork Barrel Corruption industry shock, Filipinos began killing each other in the South. The President led the charge in killing Filipinos. I am convinced that the Zamboanga "stand-off" was an offshoot of this Govt's pro-Malaysia stand that saw the unecessary killings of our own.

And the latest shocker: The incompetence and the corruption continue! Mr Aquino and his agents played and are playing politics as Tacloban and the rest of the Visayas 'burned' and continue to burn in the post Yolanda-Haiyan catastrophe.

These are the major issues that haunt Year 2013 for me. Understandably, there are hundreds more of sub-issues but to list them down is just depressing so I prefer to limit the list to the above five. However, the year is not over and there remains a big question: Will there be any more anti-Filipino and anti-Ph sovereignty events or issues in store from the Aquino Govt for 2013?

~~~~O~~~~

Has PH deployed a PN or PCG vessel to Ayungin waters?

According to Interaksyon, China PLA navy ships and China fishing boats never left Ayungin contradicting an earlier report that the foreign vessels had already left.

My initial reaction is that if Navy can see them, they must be very close to Ayungin - really within our EEZ and perhaps even closer to Ayungin island itself than we imagine, i.e., within 12 nautical mile territorial waters of Ayungin reef on which PH has established a military garrison akin to being "inhabited". 

Off-the-cuff, China PLA Navy's main mission, in all likelihood, is to protect and defend their fishermen from any action by PH Navy ships even as they encroach illegally on our EEZ, even perhaps on our territorial waters. Of course their presence is a form of intimidation tactics too but that is not reason to scare our Navy personnel stationed on Ayungin. The military personnel on Ayungin are made of sterner stuff. 

But the real question is: Has PH deployed a PN or PCG vessel to Ayungin waters?

More off-the-cuff thoughts pertaining to the 12 nautical miles or legal territorial waters of PH by international law:

(1) It is impertive to note that Ayungin island is part of the regime of islands of the Philippines and is so by PH law, i.e., RA 9522 albeit disputed,  hence it falls under PH sovereignty. Moreover, there is an existing military garrison in that island which makes the island inhabited.

(2) Therefore 12 nautical miles from Ayungin baseline is legally PH territorial waters which no other foreign country should be allowed to claim: it is Philippine territory -- full stop. 

(3) A foreign warship, armed to the teeth at that, sailing in those 12 nautical miles of water from Ayungin baseline without invoking right of innoncent passage can be considered an armed invasion of the Philippines.

Take this example: St Pierre Miquelon is an offshore island near Newfoundland belonging to France. Twelve nautical miles from St Pierre Miquelon baseline constitute French legal territorial waters and considered French territory much like Paris is or any provinces situated on the coasts of mainland France. Any armed foreign warship that sails into those 12 nautical miles of St Pierre Miquelon without invoking right of innocent passage will be considered an invasion of France and France has all the right to repel invaders. 

It becomes all the more imperative for PH navy to stay on course -- that is if they are around,  to show that we are not giving up Ayungin and whatever the cost!

REPORT FROM INTERAKSYON  Premature rejoicing - Chinese fishing boats still in Ayungin: 

As proof that the Chinese are still in the reef area which they claim entirely, and over which they recently issued a protest against supposed Philippine incursions, the source explained that “In the vicinity of Ayungin the PLA Navy ship with bow number 83, is still there, along with many fishing bancas. The other PLA Navy ships go back every so often to Ayungin whenever they monitor new movements by the Philippine Navy.”

~~ AdB
For Defenders of the Philippine Sabah and Spratly Claims
10 July 2013

Related blog post: DON'T LET CHINA STEAL AYUNGIN REEF

"Protecting Philippine territory if needed": But where did these civvies come from?

PH Ambassador Cusia (in picture) during the send off of BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PF-16):

“As you know, there are some tensions in the West Philippine Sea and this may put you in harm’s way but there is no doubt that you will perform your duty of protecting Philippine territory if needed.” 

Our view: "IF NEEDED"? THERE IS NO "IF" BECAUSE PROTECTION IS NEEDED! Protection of territory does not mean going to war!!! Furthermore, "protection" of our territory is a duty, a physical and moral obligation, and cannot and must not fall under what seems to be this Administration's do-lally doctrine of "protecting Philippine territory IF NEEDED".

Ambassador Cusia himself said that "there are some tensions in West PH Sea" so he should not have used the conditional tense or inserted a caveat! No wonder our navy is confused - all these civilians in authority seem to be incapable of pinpointing with accuracy the difference between protecting our territory and going to war!

Protecting our territory is not going to war, it is that: TO PROTECT just like you protect your home!

~~ By AdB
For the Defenders of the Philippine Sabah & Spratly Claims
14 June 2013

Link: Ambassador Cusia story

*Posted on Philippine Sabah Claim Forum
*Posted on Defenders of Philippine Sabah & Spratly Claims

To fear mongers in the Philippines: Who is speaking of going to war?

TO THOSE WHO ARE FEAR MONGERING USING THE LINE THAT WE CANNOT DEFEND OUR TERRITORIES BECAUSE OUR MILITARY IS NOT AS POWERFUL AS CHINA's, that every move we make will be construed by China as an act of going to war: But who is speaking of going to war? 

Have you heard that China has the nasty habit of stealing our territories when we are not looking? Has it occured to you that presence, relentless patrolling of our territorial waters is the next best step against China thievery? Mischief Reef was stolen while the Navy was not looking; Scarborough Shoal was stolen when we withdrew our vessels from that EEZ which belongs to PH; Ayungin Reef is now the target of China's greed and iw waiting to pounce on the Reef when they think no one is looking! 

Under your tenet that because we have a little navy, we cannot do anything, what exactly do you then want to do today? To let China run away with our territories? Magdahilan na konti lang ang bangka natin kaya sige, pabayaan na lang ang ating mga territoryo? Sino ang utak biya ngayon? (To reason out that we have few vessels so, alright, just abandon our territories? Who is being fishbrained now?)

If you really want to use your brains, tell yourself that the presence of a couple of Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard ships around our blasted reefs may be the next best deterrence. And you don't goddamn need the most sophisticated frigates for that!  The act of patrolling our territorial seas, our Exclusive Economic Zone or showing that we are keeping an eye on our territories does not mean that we want to go to war!

SO REMEMBER AND THINK: PATROL AND PRESENCE may just be the best deterrence you can afford today before China runs off with the rest of the Kalayaan islands!

And if that is not enough, we are telling you today to review the courage and conviction OF AN EVEN SMALLER NAVY THAT WENT RAMMING AGAINST A MIGHTY FLEET IN DEFENCE OF THEIR EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE! Huwag magdahilan ng kung ano-ano at huwag manakot na dahil sinasabi natin na magmatigas at magsalita ng matapang ay gusto na natin ng gyera. (Don't use just about any pretext to instill fear in the citizenry that we want war just because we here are being firm and are speaking boldly.)

Eto ang tandaan mo AFP na maski marami na tayong mga military assets, hindi din tayo makikipaggyera dahil hindi dapat giyera ang atupagin. Ang dapat atupagin ay maging pursigidong bantayan ang ating mga isla dahil pag walang bantay, diyan dumarating ang mga magnanakaw. (Remember this AFP: that even if we have so many military assets, we will not go to war because war is not what we should be after. What we should be after is to relentlessly guard our other islets because when no one is guarding, that's when thieves come.)

Another thing, even if China sinks one of our vessels doing its job, it won't mean that we will go to war... the world will be against them if they do that! Huwag utak biya, kaya tayo binabababoy ng ibang bansa ay dahil sa takot tayo! Iyan ang tunay na dahilan! (Don't be fishbrained. The reason why other countries are crapping all over us is because we show fear. That's the real reason!)

So to give fearmongers a bit of courage, we are linking here the story of a tiny, weeny, so tiny but brave navy (in fact, a coast guard) that owned less war boats than the Philippine Navy but which went out of its way to challenge and to go "headbutting" against one of the world's greatest navies to uphold their Exclusive Economic Zone (And guess what? They won!):

HMS Mermaid and FPV Baldur during Cod Wars

A photograph of HMS Mermaid and the Icelandic vessel 'FPV Baldur' 

clashing during the Third Cod War, taken on 26th May 1976.

Contrary to what happened in Scarborough where we backed off and gave China the upper hand because we were frightened that our ships might be rammed or sunk, little, tiny, puny but brave Iceland whose population was ONLY 300,000 (against UK's 50 million at the time) did not have any hesitation and faced off with with Britain's mighty Royal Navy in a series of naval confrontations that were called the Cod Wars (less the firing of naval guns). 

The Cod Wars saw Britain deploying a total of 53 British warships during the operations against 7 Icelandic Patrol vessels and a Catalina flying boat.  

The Cod Wars started when in 1972, Iceland unilaterally declared an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) extending beyond its territorial waters, before announcing plans to reduce overfishing. It policed its quota system with the Icelandic Coast Guard, leading to a series of net-cutting incidents with British trawlers that fished the areas. 

As a result, the Royal Navy deployed warships and tugboats to act as a deterrent against any future harassment of British fishing crews by the Icelandic craft, resulting in direct confrontations between Icelandic patrol vessels and British warships, which included ramming incidents. 

There were numerous ramming incidents between the (UK) Royal Navy and the Icelandic Coast Guard and their trawlers during those Cod Wars. Iceland did not back off in spite of the mighty Royal Navy. 

The latter exercised the renowned naval "follow the rules of the road" tactics at sea and rammed the equally stubborn Icelandic Coast Guard ships. There were NO REAL VIOLENT ARMED confrontations or shootings as in firing of naval guns (other than the cutting of nets, rammed ships and bruised egos) erupted although each one threatened to do it, i.e., fire guns at the other.

Complete story in: China-PH Scarborough Shoal stand off and the UK-Iceland Cod Wars in the North Atlantic

~~ Admins, Defenders of the Philippine Sabah and Spratly Claims
27 May 2013

Related read: President Aquino must now draw a line in the sand http://defenders-philippine-sovereignty.blogspot.com/2013/05/president-aquino-must-now-draw-line-in.html

Sound off the alarm: Pirates are coming! China invades Spratlys with so-called fishing flotilla

Folowing the imposition of a 15-nautical mile no entry zone around Scarborough Shoal which is located some 130 nautical miles from Zambales and is found well within the 200-nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Philippines, China launched an offensive yesterday to show virtual control of the Spratlys by sending one of its largest recorded fishing fleets to West Philippine Sea.

The waters in the Spratlys are known to be rich fishing grounds and are believed to contain a vast reservoir of oil and gas. But we are not confident that China is sending a Chinese fishing flotilla to the Spratlys merely to do a bit of fishing. We believe that some of these so-called 'fishing ships' include China PLA Navy elements which they have deployed "to plant" potential military communications or warfare paraphernalia which, in the future or in case of an armed conflict, will help serve as beachhead installations.

Mischief Reef stolen by China
from PH in 1994

We must not to forget that in 1994, while the Philippines was not looking, China invaded Mischief Reef and installed 'sheds' which China leadership pretexted were to be used as shelter for their fishermen.  Before the decade was over, China had transformed Mischief Reef into a sophisticated "listening" outpost and has turned it into a full-pledged military garrison.

Note that China has been aggressively pursuing a militarisation objective in the Spratlys and have been continuosly doing naval warfare exercises in the area that include underwater minelaying. It is a known principle that the country that controls the Spratlys and its waters will also control the sea lanes of communication (SLOCs) which could seriously imperil freedom of navigation for many countries that use those SLOCs.

It is imperative for the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard to patrol the territorial waters of the Philippine Kalayaan Islands relentlessly to ensure that this latest naval maneuver by China will not go 'overboard' as in invade our inhabited Pag-Asa Island in the Spratlys and the other occupied PH Spratly territories. 

The Philippine Navy and the Coast Guard must put it in their heads that their presence in those waters is a deterrence in itself. 

Forewarned is forearmed! 

~~ By Anne de Bretagne

For the Defenders of the Philippine Sabah and Spratly Claims

07 May 2013

INQUIRER NEWS REPORT: China sends large fleet to disputed Spratlys 

BEIJING—China has sent one of its largest recorded fishing fleets to disputed islands in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), state-run media said on Tuesday, amid tensions over Beijing’s assertion of its claims in the region. 

A flotilla including 30 fishing vessels set sail on Monday for the Spratly Islands, an archipelago disputed between China and other countries including the Philippines and Vietnam, the China Daily reported. 

The fleet left China’s southern province of Hainan for a 40-day trip to the region, the report said, and includes two large transport and supply ships. 

Chinese fishing boats regularly travel to the Spratlys, parts of which are also claimed by Taiwan and Brunei, but the fleet dispatched Monday was as large as one described as the biggest ever launched from the province when it set off last year. 

China will make “every effort to guarantee the fleet’s safety,” the report quoted an official from the department of ocean and fisheries as saying. 

China and neighboring countries have long used fishing fleets and maritime patrols to assert their territorial claims, and have upgraded their naval forces in recent years as tensions over claims in the West Philippine Sea have risen. 

The Philippines and Vietnam have complained that China is becoming increasingly aggressive in its actions in the area — such as harassing fishermen — and also through bullying diplomatic tactics. 

The waters around the Spratlys are rich in fishing resources and it is believed they could hold large oil and gas reserves.

OTHER NOTES:

What are the Spratlys? 

According to Wikipedia, The Spratly Islands are a group of more than 750 reefs, islets, atolls, cays and islands in the South China Sea. The archipelago lies off the coasts of thePhilippines and Malaysia (Sabah), about one third of the way from there to southern Vietnam. They comprise less than four square kilometers of land area spread over more than 425,000 square kilometers of sea. The Spratlys are one of three archipelagos of the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea which comprise more than 30,000 islands and reefs...

A BIT OF KALAYAAN ISLANDS/PHILIPPINE SPRATLY ISLANDS HISTORY (from Wikipedia):

The Philippines sent troops to the Spratly group for the first time in 1968. It prioritized large islands such as Pagasa (Thitu) Island, Likas (West York) Island, Parola Island (Northeast Cay), Kota (Loaita) Island, Lawak (Nanshan) Island, and Pugad Island (Southwest Cay). Two small islands, Patag (Flat) Island and Panata Island (Lankiam Cay), were also occupied. Both are less than a hectare in size. 

To further the claim of the Philippines on the island group, the late President Ferdinand Marcos, on June 11, 1978, formally annexed the Kalayaan Islands by virtue of Presidential Decree No.1596 to the Palawan.

December 2012 photo of China attack
submarine being fitted for warfare 

In very early February, we sounded the following alarm:  BEWARE OF YOUR BACKDOOR NEIGHBOORS KEEP UP THE DRUM BEAT FOR SCARBOROUGH SHOAL AND FOR ALL PH ISLANDS IN THE SPRATLYS!

DO NOT FORGET SCARBOROUGH SHOAL... KEEP UP THE DRUM BEAT FOR SCARBOROUGH SHOAL AND FOR ALL PH ISLANDS IN THE SPRATLYS. 

PH TECHNICALLY 'OCCUPIES' 10 FEATURES comprising seven islands and three reefs in the Spratlys but 'militarily occupies' only 7 of the 10 features*...
BUT IF YOU THINK, ONLY CHINA IS STEALING OUR ISLANDS (Mischief Reef, Scarborough, Half Moon Shoal, Sabina Shoal), WELL, YOU ARE MISTAKEN!

MALAYSIA HAS STOLEN FROM PH TWO ISLANDS THAT TECHNICALLY BELONG TO THE KALAYAAN ISLAND GROUP while PH was not looking... They occupied Erica Reef (Gabriela Silang Reef) which is part of the Philippine Kalayaan Island Group attached to the Municipality of Kalayaan, District of Palawan as well as Investigator Shoal (Pawikan Reef). Both are well within the 200 nautical mile EEZ of the Philippines.

NOTE: In 1999, Malaysia occupied Gabriela Silang Reef (Erica Reef) and Pawikan Reef (Investigator Shoal), causing the Philippines to protest but nothing came out of it. (Incidentally, Vietnam has also stolen one our islands when PH troops were away partying... But that is another story.)

Not only has Malaysia illegally annexed Sabah, they now use Sabah to lay claims and to occupy other islets, reefs, shoals that they say are within Sabah's 200 nautical mile EEZ. They occupied Swallow Reef (Celerio for the Philippines), which they now call Layang-Layang, on the basis that it is within Sabah's EEZ and have been maintaining a Malaysia Navy offshore security post called Uniform Station on the reef.

*CLAIM & OCCUPATION
The Philippines is now left with the following "features" in the Spratly (Wiki):
Pagasa Island (Thitu Island)
Likas Island (West York Island)
Parola Island (Northeast Cay)
Lawak Island (Nanshan Island)
Kota Island (Loaita Island)
Patag Island (Flat Island)
Panata Island (Lankiam Cay)
Rizal Reef (Commodore Reef)
Balagtas Reef (Irving Reef)
Ayungin Reef (Second Thomas Reef)

But only 7 of them are militarily occupied (Wiki):
Occupied by the Philippines
Thitu Island · Pagasa Island
West York Island · Likas Island
Northeast Cay · Parola Island
Nanshan Island · Lawak Island
Loaita Island · Kota Island
Flat Island · Patag Island
Lankiam Cay · Panata Island

BEWARE OF YOUR BACKDOOR NEIGHBOURS!

We also posted about so-called China PLA Navy's 'active coastal defence': First and second island chains:

A BETTER ILLUSTRATION OF THE "FIRST AND SECOND ISLAND CHAINS" WHICH ARE THE STRATEGIC FOCUS OF THE CHINA PLA NAVY's 'ACTIVE COASTAL DEFENCE'.  

This is why we will be seeing more of China PLA naval maneuvers from the Pacific Ocean into the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea -- just as we will be seeing more and more of US naval fleet maneuvers from the Pacific Ocean and the West PH Seas too! These "First and Second Island Chains" routes will be become the biggest naval "playground" in the world.

More and more, China will be strengthening their capability to obstruct those waters in the event of a war with the United States and they will do it by constantly doing maneuvers through those "ISLAND CHAINS". If you noticed, yesterday, China PLA Navy led by missile destroyer Qingdao triumphantly announced that their fleet that was deployed for patrol and other exercises had passed the "First Island Chain."

The United States knows that the 'First Island Chain' and the 'Second Island Chain' will be crucial in its strategy decision making process. In fact, the 'forecast' is that in "another 10-15 years, America’s qualitative military advantage will be eroded to the point that a conflict over Taiwan would jeopardize several large ships and aircraft carriers."

~~ Admin AdB, Defenders of the Philippine Sabah & Spratly Claims 

RELATED POSTS:

• China pirates more of PH EEZ; imposes a 15-nautical mile no entry zone around Scarborough Shoal
• Philippines must not allow China to creep invade the Spratlys just like they did to Mischief Reef
• Mischief Reef and then Scarborough Shoal: "Never again?"
• The importance of the Spratlys and why it may be a "flash point" if China insists on blocking passage
• Cause of the Philippines-China stand off in Scarborough
• How can the Philippines reverse its Scarborough tactical blunder?
• China's Act of Piracy: Philippines must continue patrolling its Exclusive Economic Zone
• United Nation Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), West Philippine Sea and Scarborough Shoal
• China and Malaysia have hijacked PH territories in West Philippine Sea 
• China PLA Navy's 'active coastal defence': First and second island chains 
• China's ultimate weapons of mass destructions will be their inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) 
• China's minelaying technology

Re-enforcement news for Filipino Tausug fighters in Sabah

A screen capture of TV news coverage lifted from Philippine Sabah Claim Forum.

The Filipino Tausugs have always been known for their courage since time immemorial. Kuala Lumpur politicians do not begin to understand that they are in trouble and they are in it for the long haul.

Despite the strange collaborative arrangement between Malacanang and Putrajaya to the effect that a naval blockade was organised to stop Filipino Tausugs from Mindanao going to the rescue of their belleaguered fellow fighters in Sabah, re-enforcement was able to slip through. 

'Cavalry' is on the way with re-enforcement for the Filipino Tausug group fighting in Sabah against foreign occupation that's embodied by greedy Peninsular Malaysia politicians and their Malaysia troops who are about to be tested in a protracted warfare. 

Another good news: Battle is also being waged for Supreme Court attention

"...taxpayer Louis Biraogo filed with the Supreme Court of the Philippines a 17-page petition for writ of mandamus, urging the high court to order Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Del Rosario to elevate the claim to the International Court of Justice in the Hague.  

"Biraogo also hit Malacanang: “Instead of helping the Filipinos who went to Sabah, the Philippine government threatened them with legal action in Philippine courts. Worse, President Noynoy Aquino (P-Noy) concurred in the decision of the Malaysian government to brand as terrorists the Filipino supporters of the Sultan of Sulu who went to Sabah.”

SCARBOROUGH SHOAL SEEMS TO HAVE DISAPPEARED FROM PHILIPPINE MEDIA RADAR... 
The Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard whose role is to protect our coasts and territorial waters -- and that includes Scarborough in West Philippine Sea, no longer even patrol Scarborough waters...

PH application to UN for arbitration should not stop PN and PCG patrolling PH territorial waters in Scarborough.
Related post: Scarborough Shoal which used to be called "Panacot Shoal" should be renamed "Natacot Shoal"

Tragic and ironic: Scarborough Shoal used to be called "Panacot Shoal"; must be renamed "Natacot Shoal"

IN THE 17th century, Scarborough Shoal used to be called "Panacot" (as in "Fearsome"), pronounced phonetically as "panakot", as shown in this map*. Today, its Philippine name is Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc. But in reality, it should be renamed "Natacot" ("Frightened"), pronounced phonetically as "natakot", in opposition to its original formidable name. Really, "Natacot Shoal" seems to be the more appropriate name.

The shoal cannot realistically be called "Panacot" or "Fearsome" as in someone or something that can or will scare the living daylight out of someone which is what the Pilipino word 'panakot' means. The brutal fact is the shoal is no longer in Philippine hands because China frightened PH. The shoal has been hijacked by China, roped off to deny access to its original owners, PH. Filipino fishermen who have been fishing in Scarborough waters are forbidden by its stealers, China, to make a living out of its waters.

There is logic to renaming the erstwhile Panacot Island/Shoal "Natacot Shoal" since the guardians and protectors of our waters, i.e., Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard whose role is to fight for and to defend Philippine sovereignty if need be, no longer even patrol Scarborough waters which are located in West Philippine Sea because current leadership apparently does not wish to offend China for fear of provoking a conflict, hence "natakot" (i.e., was or were frightened.)

In fact, in April 2012 during a stand off in Scarborough after Philippine Navy flagship BRP Gregorio del Pilar handed Chinese poachers to the Philippine Coast Guard, at the first hint of trouble, BRP Gregorio del Pilar (shown) was ordered to withdraw -- Philippine officials were "natakot" (frightened) at the thought of a naval confrontation. General Gregorio del Pilar, the young great revolutionary hero who died defending Tirad Pass from the American invaders and after whom the Philippine Navy flagship was named, must be turning in his grave.

By July 2012, Philippine ships had withdrawn altogether leaving China ships in control of Scarborough. China has since erected a barrier to the entrance of the shoal. Vessels belonging to Beijing's China Marine Surveillance and Fisheries Law Enforcement Command were observed near the disputed shoal. Scarborough Shoal, effectiveley, has ceased to be under Philippine control.  

It is doubtful that China will return "Natacot Shoal", er, we mean Scarborough/Panatag/Panacot Shoal to the Philippines. PH lost whatever chance of retaining sovereignty over "Panacot Shoal" when PH ships were ordered to withdraw from Scarborough just because PH officials were "natakot" (frightened).

This tragedy is similar to the Sabah claim tragedy which began fifty years ago when PH Govt presented its first claim to Sabah. Today, there are groups seeking to revive the Sabah claim. In 50 years, our great, great grandchildren will be putting up "Defenders of Philippine Natacot Shoal Claim" groups... How mercilessly ironic that would be. Well, if they have the same kind of govt officials or leaders we've got today, they will need a lot of luck to make China give up "Natacot" and that is assuming that China has not yet invaded PH islands in the Spratlys.

Related post: Why China cannot be trusted: Continuing violation of 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties, List of incidents with China in West Philippine Sea, and China's continuing intimidation of Philippines and Vietnam 

*The 17th century map was first posted on Philippine Sabah Claim Forum by Admin RCR

Good luck to Vice-Admiral Alano as he takes over Philippine Navy and steers the course of this country's defence of troubled waters

NEW NAVY LEADERSHIP!

Vice-Admiral Luis M. Alano, takes over from Vice-Admiral Pama as Flag Officer-in-Command of the Philippine Navy for less than 15 months

The community of Defenders of the Philippine Sovereignty congratulate and welcome the Philippine Navy's new Flag-Officer-In-Command, Vice-Admiral Luis M. Alano and wish him the very best as he steers the course of this country's defence of national sovereignty in troubled waters. 

We welcome with great pleasure Vice-Admiral Alano's statement as he boldly announces: 

“We should be a responsible partner in keeping our waters safe and secured by maintaining security stability in the (West Philippine Sea) so that freedom of navigation and international trade may continue to flourish. 

“The course has been plotted, sea details have been set and the command to cast off all lines has been given. Our personnel are our most major concern. What we need are not warm bodies but able-bodied sailors and marines who are motivated, disciplined and professionals."

We are looking forward to this leadership change and hope the Commander-in-chief will have in the new Navy chief someone he can trust well enough to listen to when the new Navy chief says to him, "Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead!"

The new FOIC will have ONLY less than 18 months to lead the Navy -- in fact only 15 months, much like his erstwhile superior, VAdm Billy Marcelo (Ret) of PMA Class 61,  back in 1994 who was navy chief also for less than 15 months but proved to be one of the best navy chiefs PN ever had.

PROFILE of Vice Admiral Jose Luis Montaño Alano 

Born on May 1, 1958, in Quezon City, Vice Admiral Alano is a graduate of the Philippine Military Academy Class MATAPAT of 1979. 

His specialties are Surface Warfare and Naval Air Warfare. He commanded several types of surface ships, including the Presidential Yacht. As a naval aviator, he is a Britten-Norman Islander Aircraft instructor and test pilot. His shipboard and naval air assignments ensured his appointment as the Commander of Naval Task Force 21. Ashore, he has been posted to various positions both in Command and Staff. His notable assignments were: Assistant Chief of Naval Staff for Operations, N3 and Chief of Naval Staff of the Philippine Navy. He also commanded the following key units of the Philippine Navy: Naval Air Group, Service Force, Northern Luzon Naval Forces, and the Philippine Fleet. 

VADM Alano received numerous awards and decorations among which are:
Three Distinguished Service Stars; Outstanding Achievement Medal; Gawad Sa Kaunlaran; and Military Merit Medal with Spearhead Device. 

He is a graduate of Defense Strategic Studies Course at the Center of Defense and Strategic Studies in Weston Creek, Canberra, Australia and the Naval Staff Course at the Royal Australian Naval Staff College in Sydney, Australia. He took his Joint Services Command and Staff Course at Fort Bonifacio. He holds a Master-of-Arts degree in Strategic Studies from Deakin University in Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Turnover ceremony news: New Navy chief vows safer Phl waters

Reacting to author Martin Jacques provocation on PH sending navy vessel to its EEZ

Martin Jacques, author of the best-selling book "When China Rules the World: The End of the Western World and the Birth of a New Global Order" has criticised the Philippines for what he calls "over-reaching provocation when the Philippines sent BRP Gregorio del Pilar, a Philippine Navy frigate (ex US Cutter-class) to patrol the Scarborough waters some 130 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales that led to a stand off with China's surveillance ships in April this year.

"As for the Philippines, its decision to send an armed naval ship to Panatag Shoal — a sprawling offshore area off the country’s northwestern province of Zambales — during the April standoff was an “overreaching” provocation." -- Martin Jacques, author of the best-selling book "When China Rules the World: The End of the Western World and the Birth of a New Global Order"; Mr Jacques (picture shown from The Guardian) is also a writer for the British ultra left-wing newspaper, The Guardian

Philippines provoked China in its own Exclusive Economic Zone? Provocation??? We beg to disagree Mr Martin Jacques! Philippines did absolutely nothing of the sort!!! 

PROVOCATION??? Mr Jacques, you are forgetting that the Scarborough Shoal is located well within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) as per United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). President Aquino, as commander-in-chief of the nation's armed forces DID THE RIGHT THING by sending a navy vessel to patrol the country's EEZ. The Philippines is well within its rights to patrol, to protect and if necessary, to defend its territorial integrity. To have done otherwise would have been wrong, China or no China!

Mr Jacques, have you forgotten the COD Wars of the 60s and the 70s (not to be mistaken for COLD War)??? Britain did far more than just send a Royal Navy vessel when Britain's territorial integrity was threatened!

Here is the story - how it happened, Mr Jacques, just to refresh your memory: 

Panatag Shoal Incident On 8 April 2012 the Gregorio del Pilar was assigned to patrol the Panatag Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc) and was transferred from Palawan to Northern Luzon, and on 10 April 2012 it was involved in a standoff with Chinese vessels during an attempted arrest of Chinese fishers on eight vessels near the shoal, located in a disputed portion of the West Philippine Sea. She intercepted eight Chinese fishing vessels that were allegedly conducting illegal fishing operations; two Chinese Marine Surveillance ships, namely Zhongguo Haijian 75 and Zhongguo Haijian 84 were deployed in response, leading to a standoff. Gregorio del Pilar left the area on 12 April 2012, having been relieved by the Philippine Coast Guard ship BRP Pampanga (SARV-003) and the Monitoring control and surveillance (MCS) Ship's of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (Philippines).

LINK TO "PROVOCATION" ARTICLE: PHL, China both 'mishandled' Panatag dispute - Brit scholar

IN PICTURE: BRP Gregorio del Pilar at Poro Point