"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

No 'ifs', no 'buts': China PLA Navy must invoke Right to Innocent Passage if cruising through PH seas, PH western seaboard

For info of members of the Defenders of the Philippine Sabah and Spratly Claims  with regard to maritime issues, i.e., freedom of navigation, maritime trade, etc.: 

We must remember that our EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) is ours to exploit exclusively for economic purposes but is NOT forbidden to China, Taiwan, Malaysia or to any other foreign ships, not even to armed warships, but THERE ARE CERTAIN RESTRICTIONS FOR ANY FOREIGN SHIP TO USE OUR territorial seas or to pass through our EEZ. Ships entering our territorial seas must invoke RIGHT OF INNOCENT PASSAGE. In doing so, they are recognising our sovereignty rights and our right to the our seas.

International or foreign flag bearing ships are allowed to go through PH waters. However, foreign armed vessels MUST invoke right of innocent passage. Foreign ships, especially armed ships that do not invoke this basic international law of the sea may be considered to potentially cause us prejudice and can be considered "hostile."

If, for instance, China Navy refuses to do it, they are, in effect, telling our government that they do not recognise those waters as Philippine EEZ. In such a case, China PLA navy ships cruising through our waters are doing it without permission and may be considered hostile as in "armed and dangerous" and can be classified as enemy warships.

So, what is Right of Innocent Passage?

As summed up by the US Dept of Defense:

It is the right of all ships to engage in continuous and expeditious surface passage through the territorial sea and archipelagic waters of foreign coastal states in a manner not prejudicial to its peace, good order, or security. Passage includes stopping and anchoring, but only if incidental to ordinary navigation or necessary by force majeure or distress, or for the purpose of rendering assistance to persons, ships, or aircraft in danger or distress. ~~ Dictionary of Military and Associated Terms. US Department of Defense 2005.

A more comprehensive definition of Right of Innocent Passage: A term of international law referring to a ship or aircraft's right to enter and pass through another's territory so long as it is not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the other state.

The right to innocent passage has been codified in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of December 10, 1982, extracts from 17 and 19 follow:

"... ships of all States, whether coastal or land-locked, enjoy the right of innocent passage through the territorial sea. 

"Passage is innocent so long as it is not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal State. Such passage shall take place in conformity with this Convention and with other rules of international law. 

"Passage of a foreign ship shall be considered to be prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal State if in the territorial sea it engages in any of the following activities: 

• any threat or use of force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of the coastal State, or in any other manner in violation of the principles of international law embodied in the Charter of the United Nations;
• any exercise or practice with weapons of any kind;
• any act aimed at collecting information to the prejudice of the defence or security of the coastal State;
• any act of propaganda aimed at affecting the defence or security of the coastal State;
• the launching, landing or taking on board of any aircraft;
• the launching, landing or taking on board of any military device;
• the loading or unloading of any commodity, currency or person contrary to the customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations of the coastal State;
• any act of wilful and serious pollution contrary to this Convention;
• any fishing activities;
• the carrying out of research or survey activities;
• any act aimed at interfering with any systems of communication or any other facilities or installations of the coastal State;
• any other activity not having a direct bearing on passage." 

NB: Even United States Navy warships do not just cruise through our waters without "permission" - it is a courtesy required of all navies to perform as part of the International Law of the Sea on Right of Innocent Passage.

~~ Admins, Defenders of the Philippine Sabah & Spratly Claims
01 June 2013

Source: Duhaime Legal Dictionary 

China gives marching orders to turn South China Sea/West Philippine Sea off limits to Philippines by 2014

China declared yesterday 07 February (2013) that its law enforcement vessels will conduct daily fishery administrative patrols in the South China Sea/West Philippine sea in 2014 "to better safeguard the legitimate interests of domestic fishermen."

If the Philippine Government and its qualified maritime waters protection agencies do not move quick enough, the country -- and its fishermen, may just  lose its economic access to and its rights in its 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone for good. China's declaration actually followed an earlier 'call to arms' by Qi Jianguo (shown) who said, "China's core national interests cannot be damaged" which was published by China Military On Line at 09:02, February 05, 2013.

"Qi Jianguo, deputy chief of general staff of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), made a speech when he took part in the discussion on the issue of strengthening maritime struggle and maritime security cooperation, which was jointly held by the General Staff Headquarters (GSH) of the PLA and the related state organs, on the afternoon of February 4, 2013. 

"He stressed in his speech that any countries cannot underestimate the Chinese nation's strong will of safeguarding its state sovereignty, cannot underestimate Chinese government's firm determination of safeguarding its territorial integrity and cannot underestimate Chinese military's staunch power of safeguarding the core national interests."

Seen from where we sit, such speech can be qualified as more than just a hawkish grandstanding by China PLA to be heard by the United States, Japan,  Vietnam and the Philippines, among others. And now, this pronouncement with an ultra-nationalist undertone by Wu Zhuang, chief of the South China Sea Fishery Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, who said on behalf of the government of China: "...you, subordinated to the needs of the country, stand fast at your posts in the motherland's southern frontier and strive valiantly to safeguard state sovereignty and the legitimate interests of domestic fishermen." 

Captain Yang Jia'en, who heads the China Yuzheng 302 (shown) gave an even clearer picture of what Wu Zhang said, "Where there is a fishing vessel, there is our patrol ship. We will overcome all the difficulties to protect fishermen."

With those words, China has all but officially declared the South China Sea off limits to Philippine fishermen. Already, with China's hijacking of the Philippines' Scarborough Shoal and the Philippine Navy's 'withdrawal' from the scene of 'battle' for Inang Bayan, Filipino fishermen, in a recent interview with USA Today said that they have become frightened to venture in the Philippine EEZ which, per UNCLOS, gives the Philippines exclusive rights to exploit.

Unpredictable yet predictable China which has repeatedly said that they will abide by the 2002 Declaration on Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea has also repeatedly violated the first two key points of that agreement: 

HEREBY DECLARE the following: 1. The Parties reaffirm their commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and other universally recognized principles of international law which shall serve as the basic norms governing state-to-state relations;  2. The Parties are committed to exploring ways for building trust and confidence in accordance with the above-mentioned principles and on the basis of equality and mutual respect;  

Under the disguise of "law enforcement to safeguard the legitimate interests of domestic fishermen," this latest declaration by China is actually a veiled threat aimed at giving the United States and its allies in the region something to think about.

This latest China decision leads us to believe that it is a de facto declaration of a potential blockade in 2014, i.e., that China is seriously intending to cordon off the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea to any kind of maneuvers, whether military or commercial, i.e., oil exploration or surveillance, fishing, etc., by its neighbours, Philippines, Vietnam and even Japan.

According to the news, today, there are some China 400 fishing vessels  operating in the South China Sea which means that if we take the words of Captain Yang Jia'en who heads the China Yuzheng 302 seriously, for every 3 or 4 fishing vessels roaming around in West Philippine Sea, China intends to put one of their warships at the very least for protection of some kind. It is safe to say that if they say what they do, there will be at least 100 warships roaming around the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea.

That kind of fighting flotilla will transform the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea into a virtual 'naval war zone.' And remember their January news: China to build 36 Coast Guard/Marine Law Enforcement ships within the next 5 years announces Communist Party of China website.

It is not enough to question the China's 9-dash line before the UN Court. If the Philippines does not move fast to protect its own territorial waters, which it can do by sending patrol ships, even just to show face, chances are that Filipinos will lose the right to even drop a simple fishing line in the West Philippine Sea. This government must react quickly. This government cannot continue to hoodwink Filipinos into believing that our Navy and our Coast Guard do not have the wherewithal to do it. We have enough assets to do patrol duties. To say otherwise would be a lie.

To lose a shoal is one thing but to lose the nation's entire territorial waters in West Philippine Sea because of fear of China ships will be a crime against the Filipino nation.

For more on the news on CHINA EXCLUSIVE, click here to Xinhua news.

Shown in picture: People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) flotilla led by their latest LPD 998 Kunlunshan amphibious landing dock vessel, escorted by the guided missile destroyer DDG 170 Lanzhou and Type 054 guided missile frigate FFG 568 Chaohu. The support ship is AO 885 Qinghaihu, an ex-Russian Komandarm class oiler. Photo: PLAN

~~ By Anne de Bretagne
08 February 2013
For the Defenders of the Philippine Sabah & Spratly Claims

China's Creeping Invasion and China mapping

WE HAVE JUST HEARD THAT  "China has published new maps that for the "first time" put disputed islands in South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) being claimed by the Philippines "in equal scale" to that of Chinese mainland..."

 
OUR VIEW: CHINA IS REALLY RARING FOR A CONFRONTATION BUT NOT TO WORRY -- WE NEED NOT DEPLOY A HUGE NAVAL ARMADA TO SHOW THAT WE ARE RESOLUTE, THAT WE CANNOT BE BULLIED... News came at an opportuned time after Japan and Ph agreed to be strategical partners in the face of this looming diplomatic and potentially military-cloaked crisis with China.

Philippines must not let China get away with including its territorial waters and lands in their official map... Despite the "smallness" of the country's capability, the PH government must act right away because not to do so is tantamount to abandon of our claims. The government cannot make the excuse that once again, the country is soooo helpless because it "hasn't got much." HOGWASH! There are enough ships to patrol our West PH Sea. Patrolling our own waters is what the Navy and the PCG are supposed to do, for crying out loud!

If the Philippine government refuses to it, then it is easy to believe that some folks at the highest echelons of power are either frightened or at best, not really interested in those territories enough to show our faces (navy and coast guard). If so, then by all means, let China continue with its creeping invasion and just move on!

However, if PH government is not frightened or is interested -- even just to save face -- then it's time to show a pair of balls (just a pair would suffice!)

THREE THINGS TO BE DONE 'ILLICO' (NO TIME TO WASTE)
- DFA summons China ambassador and ask for explanations; requires China ambassador to reply within a given period of time
- If China response not satisfactory, recall PH ambassador
- This time, Malacanang SHOULD GIVE go signal to PH Navy and PH Coast Guard to patrol West Philippine Sea, i.e., protect our territories, stake our claim in PH 200nautical mile zone

JUST THINK: CHINA MIGHT PLANT STRUCTURES JUST OUTSIDE OUR ISLANDS TO FORM A BARRAGE! If we fail to show presence in the West Philippine Sea, eg., deploy our navy or coast guard or both, as in we decide to hide and just throw verbiage to the Chinese by way of DFA in the hope that by praying 3 Our Fathers and 5 Hail Marys, we would make China "nicer" to us, there is every chance that China WILL DECIDE PLANT STRUCTURES similar to oil rigs, radar shelters, etc; anywhere near our own islands, islets, reefs, shoals, TO STAKE THEIR CLAIM and they don't even have to invade our islands to do it!

Even if they DON'T INVADE OR LAND BOOTS ON OUR SPRATLY ISLANDS, i.e., construct those structures, ON our islets, note that it would be infinitely more difficult to have any structures removed once China plants them near our islets. China can easily establish a naval 'barrage' around our islands -- remember, they've done it around Scarborough Shoal, if we don't do anything, even by way of showing naval or coast guard presence in our waters.

REMEMBER SABAH: Back in early 1963, even before the so-called "referendum" of Sabah asking Sabahans if they wanted to join the soon-to-be-created Malaysia Federation (which most Sabahans were not aware was happening), Tunku Abdul Rahman, ordered the printing of NEW MALAYSIA maps that included Sabah. We were caught with our trousers down. And in the late 80s, PM Mahathir re-ordered the printing of NEW MALAYSIA maps but to exclude Sabah naval bases which he had been thinking of transforming into submarine bases. (Until the late 90s, the Sabah naval bases for Malaysia submarine fleet did not figure in your ordinary Sabah tourist map.) The official "mapping" methodology only goes to show that it is one effective means of creeping invasion that can easily convince a bewildered world.

READ FULL REPORT ON NEW CHINA OFFICIAL MAP here.

MANILA, Philippines - China has published new maps that for the "first time" put disputed islands in South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) being claimed by the Philippines "in equal scale" to that of Chinese mainland, Xinhua, China's official press agency, reported on Friday.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

ON BEHALF OF ALL THE MEMBERS OF THE DEFENDERS OF PHILIPPINE SOVEREIGNTY COMMUNITY, HAPPY NEW YEAR GREETINGS TO ALL THE DEFENDERS OF THE WEST PHILIPPINE SEA: the Philippine Navy, thePhilippine Marines, Western Command (WESCOM) the Philippine Air Force, the Philippine Coast Guard, THE INHABITANTS OF THE Philippine Spratly territories, and every single defender of Philippine sovereignty! 

May the Lord guide and protect you all! MABUHAY ANG PILIPINAS! 

WELCOME TO PATAG AND LAWAK ISLANDS, Philippine Spratly territories! shown in the midst of the deep blue sea, Patag and Lawak (behind)...
It would be nice to do a tourism drive for both Patag (front)and Lawak (back) islands in the Philippine Spratly territories! Defenders of the Spratly claim must join up and do a jamboree on one of these two fine-looking beaches!