China could only dream of owning South China Sea – Brawner

China’s harrassment of Philippine vessels and other aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) are a manifestation of its desire to “own” the larger South China Sea (SCS) but this would only remain a “dream” as Philippines will not allow it to happen, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. said.

Brawner said the AFP will continue to protect the Philippines’ interests in the SCS by intensifying its maritime patrol missions in the WPS, including the Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal).

“Talagang nananaginip sila na sa kanila ‘yong South China Sea but we are insisting na hindi sa kanila ‘yan at nasa exclusive economic zone [EEZ] natin ‘yang area na ‘yan, ‘yung Bajo de Masinloc o ‘yong Scarborough Shoal (They are really dreaming that they could own South China Sea but we are insisting that they do not own that, and Bajo de Masinloc is within our exclusive economic zone),” Brawner said in a radio interview with Radyo Pilipinas on Wednesday, Oct. 11.

Brawner made the remark after the China Coast Guard (CCG) claimed it drove away a Philippine Navy (PN) gunboat in Bajo de Masinloc on Oct. 10.

The military chief confirmed that a PN gunboat had patrolled near Bajo de Masinloc as part of the Navy’s mission to uphold the territorial integrity of the country, however, it added that it was not driven away by the CCG.

The PN gunboat, according to Brawner, was sailing near Bajo de Masinloc when it was issued a radio challenge by the CCG, to which her crew members replied that the patrol operation was part of a regular mission.

“Dumadaan po siya dito sa Scarborough Shoal, malapit sa Scarborough Shoal, on its way north dahil nagpapatrolya nga po siya dyan sa area na ‘yan so noong nakita po ng Chinese Coast Guard ay nagchallenge sila sa ating barko (She was passing by near Scarborough Shoal onnits way north as part of a patrol mission when she was spotted and challenged by the Chinese Coast Guard),” he said.

The PN gunboat fired back a radio challenge to the CCG and urged the Chinese vessels to go away and stop blocking the patrol, Brawner stated.

He reiterated that the CCG’s claim that it drove away the PN gunboat was part of a propaganda.

“Ang ina-assert talaga natin na hindi sa China ano, they do not own that at ‘yong sa atin naman po ay we are protecting the rights of our fishermen to fish doon sa Scarborough Shoal (We are really asserting that China does not own that and we are protecting the rights of our fishermen to fish in Scarborough Shoal),” Brawner said.

Meanwhile, one of the PN’s biggest warships, BRP Davao del Sur, was deployed by the Palawan-based Western Command (WesCom) to sustain the patrol operations in WPS.

WesCom spokesperson Col. Ariel Coloma said BRP Davao del Sur arrived in Puerto Princesa City from Subic, Zambales on Oct. 6, and immediately started patrol operations in WPS. — Martin Sadongdong

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