AFP still conducting EEZ patrols

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 12): AFP still conducting EEZ patrols

Philippine sovereignty patrols, which covers the country's 200-nautical miles exclusive economic zone (EEZ), are still ongoing.

This was confirmed by Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo in briefing Wednesday.

He made this statement in wake of Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio's advice not to limit patrolling to the country's territorial waters which only covers 12 nautical miles.

Arevalo said sovereignty patrols are still conducted on the country's EEZ as the Philippines has vast maritime interest in the area which includes the Malampaya oil separation platform which lies off Palawan and supplies a huge part of Luzon's energy requirement.

"We are conducting patrols off Malampaya, we have ships deployed there, and in fact, we also have a Task Force Malampaya those primary obligation is to secure the safety and operation of the Malampaya facility," he said in Filipino.

Arevalo said Malampaya patrols are being supervised by the Western Command in Palawan and its naval component, Naval Forces West.

"In the process, they are going to and from these bases and in the process, they are on the lookout for any threats to the the continuous operation of (the) Malampaya oil gas separation platform," he added.

Protecting the country's EEZ is mandated by the Philippine Constitution, Arevalo said.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=930747