Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday lauded President Duterte for requiring all foreign vessels to seek permission from concerned government authorities when passing through the Philippine territorial waters.
“That is a very good development because now we have some authority to enforce our laws within our territorial waters,” Lorenzana said after the arrival ceremony for the BRP (Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas) Conrado Yap, the newest acquisition of the Philippine Navy from South Korea.
Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo earlier in the day said the President has decided to require foreign vessels to inform proper authorities when passing through the country’s waters.
Duterte issued the order after several Chinese warships and survey ships were seen passing through and operating in some strategic areas across the country over the past few months such as the Sibutu Strait in Tawi-Tawi.
“Either they comply in a friendly manner, or we will enforce it in an unfriendly manner,” Panelo said.
The Defense chief said he will determine what Duterte meant by “unfriendly manner.”
“I am still trying to figure out what ‘unfriendly manner’ we can do,” Lorenzana said. “There are so many things that we can do to be unfriendly. That’s cutting their bow or escorting them,” he added.
Lorenzana said that he has been very vocal about the transgressions of China due to its vessels’ uninformed passage in the Philippine waters compared to the previous years.
“It is because the frequency has increased also so it’s very alarming why there are so many Navy ships of the Chinese that are passing through Sibutu Strait. My question is where are they coming from? Hindi natin alam eh. Where are they going?” he stressed.
“Before wala namang ganoon eh. It is seldom that we see them there,” he added.
Meanwhile, Lorenzana is awaiting the official military report on the alleged presence of a China Coast Guard ship in the Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines-Western Command revealed that a China Coast Guard ship has been spotted sailing near Ayungin Shoal, along with 42 Chinese and Vietnamese fishing vessels, since Aug. 1.
“We haven’t received the official report yet so we’re trying to get a report from the Wescom, requiring them to make the official report to us,” Lorenzana said.
Ayungin Shoal is a small group of islets and reefs located about 105 nautical miles or 200 kilometers west of Palawan. (Martin Sadongdong)
