The
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will have to rely on its naval assets to
deliver supplies for troops in the Pagasa island.
“The
AFP can use its naval assets for the routine logistics run and transport of
troops who are stationed there,” said AFP public affairs office chief Lt. Col.
Harold Cabunoc.
Cabunoc
is referring to the government’s decision to shelve improvements on a military
airstrip in the island.
"We
wanted to maintain the moral high ground in light of the case we filed at the
(UN) arbitration tribunal regarding the West Philippine
Sea ," deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said on
Saturday.
"We
chose... to ease tensions and avoid any incident that may be construed as
ramping up tensions or trying to provoke any of the claimant countries,"
she added.
The
Philippines infuriated China in March by asking a United Nations tribunal
to declare Beijing 's territorial claims in the
South China Sea (West Philippine Sea ) a
violation of international law.
But
its claims overlap in parts with those of the Philippines ,
as well as Brunei , Malaysia , Vietnam
and Taiwan
“The
AFP respects the government’s position about the runway project,” Cabunoc said.
The
small runway lies on Thitu, the largest of several islands and reefs in the
Spratly group that are garrisoned by Filipino soldiers but also claimed by China
The
runway is used mainly by military aircraft to resupply the Filipino troops
guarding the island and nearby rocks, as well as a small community of Filipino
civilians living on Thitu.
The
upgrade plans were suspended by Aquino "sometime in the middle of 2014,”
Valte said.
The
airstrip project, as well as acquisitions of navy vessels, were part of
Aquino's efforts to upgrade the capability of the Philippine military, one of
the most poorly equipped in the region.
.
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