The Philippine Navy said yesterday it is open to a “navigational arrangement” with China amid the increased presence of their vessels in the Philippine waters.
Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad, PN flag-officer-in-command, said this will help the Philippines establish rules when Chinese vessels enter the country’s territory.
“Kung mayroon tayong system that will improve our relations with China in matters of intrusions, especially in the West Philippine Sea, bakit naman hindi?” Empedrad said.
Maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal had earlier suggested that the Philippines and China should establish its own navigational arrangement just like what the government has with the United States.
Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, said United States and the Philippines have reached an agreement that US vessels must send prior notification to the Philippine military before they can enter the country’s territorial waters.
He said there are mechanisms that enabled such arrangement because of the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Visiting Forces Agreement between the two countries.
China has its own policy requiring foreign vessels to seek clearance from its Navy before one can enter their territorial waters, Batongbacal said.
President Duterte had earlier issued a directive similar to China’s policy.
According to presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, the foreign vessels need to comply in a friendly way or the Philippine government will have to enforce it in an “unfriendly manner.” (Martin Sadongdong)