10 to 12 Chinese ships spotted in West PH Sea; vessels continue dredging activities - PAF

From InterAksyon (Jun 18): 10 to 12 Chinese ships spotted in West PH Sea; vessels continue dredging activities - PAF

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) has spotted 10 to 12 Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea in its latest reconnaissance mission over the disputed area. 

Col. Florante Falcis, assistant chief of PAF's air staff for intelligence division, said the ships were sighted on the natural gas-rich Ayungin (Second Thomas) and Panatag (Scarborough) shoals.

Falcis, however, did not say the date that the PAF saw the vessels in said areas, which are being claimed by several countries including the Philippines and China.

The PAF official also declined to comment on whether the ships were naval craft or civilian vessels. He said the number of ships sighted was not a permanent figure as it varied from time to time.

Falcis added the Chinese ships had continued dredging activities in the West Philippine Sea.

Meanwhile, the PAF did not spot any foreign aircraft entering Philippine airspace without clearance, according to Air Force commanding general Jeffrey Delgado.

PAF to beef up missions 

Amid the Philippine's intensifying territorial dispute with China, Delgado reiterated PAF's readiness to defend the country's territory, though admitting that PAF's forces won't be able to match that of China.

"We are prepared (for)… any contingency that the government will ask us to do as far as the territorial defense is concerned even with meager resources. We are ready to confront any kind of threat should there be a need for us to be really involved but right now, we are avoiding any confrontations. We are adhering to the rule of law; we are supporting the government’s efforts in pursuing the legal complaint in the international courts," he said.

Delgado said the PAF would beef up reconnaissance and overflight missions over the disputed territory.

"Right now, based on our role as far as territorial defense is concerned, is we provide the needed information to higher headquarters as far as our patrols are concerned; we provide the things that we see from above as we conduct our air patrols to higher headquarters for their perusal, that's our role for the moment, we provide the necessary air intelligence information," Delgado said in Filipino.

Currently, PAF reconnaissance flights are concentrating on Scarborough, which lies 124 nautical miles off Zambales and Ayungin, which is around 140 nautical miles from Palawan.

The Philippines has acquired 12 FA-50 jet fighters from South Korea's Korean Aerospace Industry worth P18.9 billion.

Two of the jets are expected to be delivered within 18 months after the opening of the letter of credit. The next two aircraft are expected to be delivered within the year after the first delivery. After which, the remaining eight jets will arrive in the Philippines within eight months on a staggered basis.

http://www.interaksyon.com/article/89386/10-to-12-chinese-ships-spotted-in-west-ph-sea-vessels-continue-dredging-activities---paf