Spratly incursions unabated

Eight Chinese and Vietnamese ships were seen last week near Philippine-occupied islands in the Spratly group in the South China Sea, the Armed Forces said yesterday.

Maj. Gen. Santiago Madrid, chief of the military's Western Command, said Navy and Air Force reconnaissance planes spotted the ships near Parola and Pagasa islands between May 9 and 12.

The data are contained in a report which Madrid submitted to Armed Forces chief Gen. Angelo Reyes.

The report was made public on the eve of President Estrada's visit to China, where he is expected to discuss the dispute over the Spratlys with Chinese President Jiang Zemin.

Although Estrada plans to mention the Spratlys dispute, most of the talks will center on trade and increased cooperation in agriculture, tourism, and anti-crime efforts.

Parola and Pagasa are occupied by Philippine troops, with Pagasa having the biggest contingent of soldiers out of the eight islands where the Armed Forces has garrisons.

On May 9, Navy and Air Force planes sighted two Chinese fishing vessels two nautical miles northwest of Pagasa Island, a Chinese boat five nautical miles northwest, and a fourth ship at four nautical miles southwest of Pagasa.

Two days later, a Vietnamese fishing vessel was seen dropping anchor five nautical miles northwest of Pagasa, and the following morning a Chinese vessel arrived at four nautical miles northwest of the island.

At Parola, two Vietnamese vessels were seen at 1.5 nautical miles southwest of Pagasa.

The report did not say whether or not the foreign vessels have already left the Spratlys.

In the past the Navy had either rammed, chased or fired warning shots at mostly Chinese vessels which have been found to be intruding in waters off Philippine-claimed islands in the South China Sea.

In February, the military reported sightings of Chinese and Vietnamese ships in the same area, about 800 kilometers southwest of Manila.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Domingo Siazon Jr. suggested then the government would protest if the vessels landed crews on the Philippine-claimed islands.

Apart from the Philippines, China and Vietnam, the Spratlys are also claimed by Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan. - With AP