Esperon: Chinese at Pag-asa but not occupying sandbars

From Malaya Business Insight (Aug 21): Esperon: Chinese at Pag-asa but not occupying sandbars

NATIONAL Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. yesterday confirmed the presence of Chinese ships at sandbars near the Philippine-occupied Pag-asa Island in the South China Sea or West Philippine Sea.

But the Chinese are not occupying the sandbars which are part of the disputed Spratly Islands, said Esperon, concurrent chairman of the multi-agency National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.

“China has not seized sandbars in Pag-asa atoll.  There should be no alarm on that as long as they don’t occupy any of the sandbars,” he said.

Pag-asa is the biggest of the Philippine-held islands in the disputed Spratlys archipelago. It serves as the seat of government of Kalayaan town in Palawan. The town was created in June 1978 through Presidential Decree 1596. It is under the political jurisdiction of Palawan but under the “custody and administration” of the Armed Forces. Soldiers are posted at Pag-asa island.

Esperon declined to say when the Chinese ships were first seen at the sandbars and what are they doing there, if they are not there to occupy the area.

On Tuesday last week, Magdalo party list Rep. Gary Alejano said he has information that two Chinese frigates, a Chinese coast guard ship, and two Chinese fishing boats are at the sandbars since three days earlier.

Alejano, a former Marines captain, said the Chinese ships even prevented vessels of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources from going near the sandbars, about one to three nautical miles from Pag-asa island.

Last Saturday, Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said Chinese ships are guarding “Sandy Cay,” a sandbar between Pag-asa and Zamora (Subi) Reef. The sandbar appears for only for a few months.

Esperon confirmed that Chinese fishing vessels are at the sandbars.

“There are many Chinese, as well as Vietnamese, fishing boats in and near Pag-asa Island and its nearby sandbars, collectively called Pag-asa atoll,” said Esperon, a former chief of staff of the Armed Forces.

“Spratlys is disputed area,” he added, further saying government is not is not dropping the country’s claims over the Spratly Islands.

The Spratly Islands, a chain of islands and islets, is believed to be rich in oil and minerals deposits. It is being claimed in part or in whole by the Philippines, China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Vietnam, Brunei and Taiwan.

“We are not giving away any inch of our claims, nor any part of our entitlements under UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) of 1982. And those of PCA/ tribunal ruling of July 2016…,” he said.

Esperon was referring to the UN’s Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated China’s excessive nine-dash-line claim in the South China Sea. The ruling also upheld Philippines’ right to its 200-mile exclusive economic zone.

“Pag-asa is in the middle of the Spratlys where we have nine occupied high-tide features, islands,” said Esperon. He said China is occupying seven recently-reclaimed reefs, three of them have three-kilometer airstrips.

“The nearest Chinese airstrip is in Subi reef which is 12.5 NM (nautical miles) southwest from our Pag-asa. It (Subi reef) used to be a low tide feature but it is now 540 hectares,” he said.

A Washington-based think tank has said China has installed weapon systems at the reclaimed reefs. Defense and military officials have said the development is a cause for concern.

AFP chief Gen. Eduardo Año has declined to confirm or deny the presence of the Chinese ships at the sandbars.

http://www.malaya.com.ph/business-news/news/esperon-chinese-pag-asa-not-occupying-sandbars