As joint military exercises by Philippine and American forces continue in Palawan, officials are careful to identify the ongoing "war games" with the disputed waters in the West Philippine Sea.
The 2014 Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX), which began on Monday, is currently being conducted in Palawan, near disputed waters on the West Philippine Sea.
In his live report on News To Go from Palawan on Thursday, GMA News' Ian Cruz said, "Ingat na ingat nga 'yung Amerika at Pilipinas doon sa issue sa West Philippine Sea."
"Sinasabi nga nila, 31st iteration na ito ng PHIBLEX kaya naman wala raw talagang kaugnayan ito sa West Philippine Sea. Pero kapag tinatanong naman 'yung magkabilang panig kung applicable ba 'yung scenario dito—'yung pag-retake ng island—ang sinasagot nila, lahat ito applicable sa lahat ng nasasakupan ng Pilipinas," he said.
He added, "Ibig sabihin, 'yung natutunan nila rito, pwede ring i-apply doon sa West Philippine Sea, pero 'yun nga lang, hindi nila directly inili-link doon and wala silang pinatutungkulan na isang bansa lamang tulad ng China, na talaga namang agresibo ang posisyon pagdating sa proteksyon ng West Philippine Sea."
[Video report]
On Thursday, more than a hundred soldiers participated in a mock retaking of the province's King's Paradise Island, the report said. In the scenario, Philippine and American forces were to reclaim the area from an extremist group. The operations were conducted within a few minutes, which officials said should be done to ensure the capture of their targets.
Some Japanese soldiers were on-site to observe the activity, the News To Go report said. Officials saw it as a good sign that another country is interested in the exercises.
According to Navy Commodore Manuel Natalio Abinuman, they will look into Japan's possible participation in the exercises, which may boost "regional stability," especially on the issue of the disputed waters, it added.
‘Soft launch’ for EDCA?
Earlier, Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon claimed that the joint military exercises is a "soft launch" for the activities planned under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), a 10-year defense agreement that allows for an enlarged rotational presence of US troops in the Philippines.
He added that the presence of US troops can only heighten tensions about the West Philippine Sea.
“Organizers of the PHIBLEX themselves admit that the military exercises have nothing to do with China’s incursion in the West Philippine Sea. In other words, these US warships are not here to drive away China from Panatag Shoal. Yet what the US Navy fails to highlight is the threat their presence brings to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific Region,” Ridon said in a statement.
PHIBLEX will run until October 10 in several other areas in Luzon, including Subic Bay and Tarlac province, to boost coordination among Filipino and American soldiers regarding regional issues and humanitarian disasters.
Around 1,200 members of the Philippine Navy and 3,500 US Marines and sailors from the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade and Commander, Task Force 76, are involved in the latest round of the yearly military exercises.
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