Palace ‘concerned’ over reef missiles

Duterte blames US, Aquino for not stopping China

MANILA, Philippines — Malacañang has expressed concern over China’s reported deployment of missiles on man-made islands in the South China Sea but voiced confidence the Philippines is not a target.

“We are concerned with China’s reported missile deployments over the contested areas in the West Philippine Sea,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement yesterday.

But he stressed “we are confident that those missiles are not directed at us,” considering the Philippines’ “recently developed close relationship and friendship” with Beijing.

“Be that as it may, we would explore all diplomatic means to address this issue,” he said.

In Davao City, President Duterte said it was the failure of the United States and the previous Aquino administration to stop China’s reclamation that emboldened Beijing to expand its military presence in the West Philippine Sea.

“Our Navy could not do it. It would have resulted to a massacre and I was not the president then. So Aquino filed an arbitration case. We won. He was still there. Why did they not do it, the yellows. We won and Aquino was still there... Why did you not go there and confront them (for the build-up)?” the President said in remarks at the 37th Principals Training and Development Program and National Board Conference.

Duterte said the US was the only country that could have stopped China but it did nothing.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said they were taking the matter “seriously.”

The Duterte administration is being criticized for ignoring China’s military buildup in the West Philippine Sea in exchange for financial help.

The Chinese military had installed anti-ship and ground-to-air defense systems over the past 30 days on outposts in the Spratly Islands group, part of which is within Philippine territory. Vietnam also claims part of the island chain.

The development was first reported by American television network CNBC quoting sources from US intelligence.

The new Chinese missiles were reportedly deployed on Kagitingan (Fiery Cross) Reef, Zamora (Subi) Reef and Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, according to CNBC.

At a regular briefing on Thursday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying neither confirmed nor denied the deployment.

“China’s peaceful construction in the Spratly archipelago, including the deployment of necessary national defense facilities, is aimed at protecting China’s sovereignty and security,” Hua said. “Those who don’t intend to violate (this sovereignty) have no reason to worry,” she said.

Cayetano said the DFA is “verifying the information” regarding the Chinese missile deployment and is coordinating with Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. and the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency.

“Our interest is clear, we have territorial and sovereignty rights claims. We will take every and all diplomatic action to protect our interest,” he said.

In a phone patch briefing yesterday, US deputy assistant secretary of defense for South and Southeast Asia Joseph Felter said the development was alarming but expressed hope for a peaceful resolution of the disputes.

“Our policy in the South China Sea remains the same. We’re very concerned about any activity to recreate and militarize features. We stand by our commitment to seeing a peaceful resolution of disputes by all claimant nations,” Felter said.

He said the US will continue to fly, sail and operate in areas as far as international law would allow and encourages other states to exercise the same rights.

Felter emphasized the US remains committed to its Mutual Defense Treaty with the Philippines.

A Philippine security official said China’s latest deployment has further heightened the risk of outbreak of hostilities in the region. “It poses serious security concerns for the entire region because it means that whoever traverses or sails in the region are now well within China’s missile range,” the official, who requested anonymity, said.

Former national security adviser Roilo Golez shared the official’s concern as he urged administration officials to protest China’s action lest their silence be interpreted as acquiescence.

“China’s act is a blatant violation of our sovereign rights in the area and President Xi’s assurance that they would not militarize the artificial islands,” Golez pointed out.

“The HQ-9B surface to air missile has a range of 160 nautical miles and Palawan is only 130 nautical miles from Panganiban Reef,” he maintained.

Creeping invasion

Congressmen denounced the Duterte administration’s silence on the issue and demanded that he shed off his “subservient stance” on China’s “creeping invasion” of the country.

“This is very alarming, as it is highly condemnable. It is in fact more than militarizing the WPS. China is effectively implementing a creeping invasion of the Philippines, unfortunately, without even a whimper of protest from our government,” Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate said.

“We must not take this sitting down and we are challenging the Duterte administration to at least issue a diplomatic protest. We must also campaign in the international community against China’s provocative and militarist actions,” he said.

Zarate said China is taking advantage of Duterte’s subservience.

Rep. Edgar Erice of Caloocan City also said the government must protest the installation of missiles.

“It’s an invasion and a display of lack of respect for a country whose leader has continuously shown a public display of affection for China,” he said.

Rep. Gary Alejano of Magdalo said the missiles are “obviously a threat to our national security.”

“I call on the Duterte administration to wake up from its long doze, silence and inaction. Let us not let China’s sweet talk of investments and loans lull us into a false sense of security. Their actions clearly belie their pronouncements,” he said.

He said the government “must raise this matter in all possible forums as a grave concern not only to us but to the whole region.”

Alejano, a former Marine captain, noted that Beijing installed missiles after placing jamming equipment on its occupied islands.

He said the Philippine-occupied Pag-asa Island is within the missiles’ range.

He pointed out that the distance of Pag-asa Island from the closest missile located on Zamora Reef is around the same distance between Quezon City and Taguig City.

“That is how close the threat is of China’s weapons of war to our soldiers and countrymen in Pag-asa. With a range of 295 nm and 160 nm, the missiles can target vessels located as far as the waters of Balabac, Palawan,” he said.

Options for Philippines

Sen. Gregorio Honasan, chairman of the Senate committee on national defense and security, said the Philippines should invoke its economic and security agreements with the US and other countries in the region to confront China.

He said the Philippines should “maintain high moral and political ground” by invoking remedies under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other security agreements “against bullying by China and others.”

He said the missile deployment “impacts on global, regional peace and stability, and freedom of air and sea navigation” in the South China Sea and West Philippine Sea.

Honasan said the government should also invoke the ruling of The Hague-based Arbitral Tribunal dismissing China’s nine-dash line claim over the South China Sea.

The tribunal issued the ruling in 2016 after the Philippines filed a case questioning China’s sweeping maritime claims.

The senator also said the government may seek US assistance under the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

The country may also seek a peaceful united front against China from fellow member-states in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

But he stressed the government should also not abandon its confidence-building measures with Beijing like joint exploration of resources similar to the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking between the Philippines, China and Vietnam.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto said President Duterte should use his warm personal relationship with Chinese leaders “in convincing them to cease-and-desist from militarizing the illegally reclaimed islands in the West Philippine Sea.”

“He (Duterte) has to encash whatever political capital he has with Beijing in asking it to honor its pledge to keep the West Philippine Sea a zone of peace and freedom of navigation,” Recto said.

Duterte can also serve as a peacemaker in asking all major powers to de-escalate tension in the area, prevent it from being a flashpoint, “as our country will never benefit from any brawl that might break out right in our own backyard,” he said.

“Now that positive steps are underway to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, the same must prevail in the West Philippine Sea. We cannot defuse tension in one place in Asia only to heighten it in another,” he said.

Recto said China has justified its building of islands by saying the facilities will be primarily used to combat piracy and assist distressed seafarers, among other peaceful uses.

“But the reported installation of weapons in these islands seems to give credence to the global suspicion that its real aim was to build a string of military fortresses over the sovereignty claims of its peaceful neighbors,” he said.

Lapdog

 For opposition Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, Duterte is to blame for China’s brazen militarization of the South China Sea.

“We, as a nation, should be alarmed by China’s militarization of the West Philippine Sea. However, Duterte continues to invite China in by being its lapdog,” Trillanes said.

He also called for the strengthening of security alliances with the US, Japan and Australia.

Bayan secretary-general Renato Reyes said the missile deployment further militarizes the region.

“We are also wary of US military involvement in the region which can lead to an escalating arms race between the two superpowers. The Philippine government should stand against militarization of the Spratlys by any party,” Reyes said in a text message.

He added the Balikatan war games next week aims to project US power against China.  

The group said the Philippines apparently is caught between two rival imperialist powers.

“It is up to the people to press the Philippine government to uphold a genuine independent foreign policy,” Reyes added. 

The Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) also “strongly condemned” China’s action.

“China has already reached the peak of violating our sovereign and territorial rights. And this is despite the existence of an international law which guarantees that the West Philippine Sea is indisputably part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and extended continental shelf,” Pamalakaya chair Fernando Hicap said in a statement.

“We hold Duterte accountable over this Chinese takeover of our marine territory and resources. His consistent defeatist approach on this long-running sea row has now led to complete transformation of our resource-rich territory into a fortified Chinese military zone,” Hicap said.  – With Paolo Romero, Helen Flores,Ding Cervantes, Jess Diaz, Rhodina Villanueva, Jaime Laude