NSC shrugs off militants' call for PH to 'demilitarize' WPS

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 26, 2024): NSC shrugs off militants' call for PH to 'demilitarize' WPS (By Priam Nepomuceno)

NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya (PNA file photo)

MANILA – Demilitarizing the West Philippine Sea (WPS) is out of the government's options in dealing with issues on the disputed territory as such a move will only benefit China, a ranking National Security Council (NSC) official said on Wednesday.

In a radio interview, NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya said he is puzzled by this call of the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) and their allied leftist organizations.

"So ang ibig bang sabihin nito, mag-pullout na rin ang Armed Forces (of the Philippines) kasi diba when you call for demilitarization, ibig sabihin (pati) yung BRP Sierra Madre ipupullout na natin kasi commissioned vessel yan ng Philippine Navy (PN), eh di titigil na ang PN na magpatrolya sa WPS kasi gumagawa sila ng kanilang mandato (could this also means that the Armed Forces (of the Philippines) (AFP) will also pull out its units as they called for demilitarization, It would also mean we will also pullout the BRP Sierra Madre as it is a commissioned vessel of the PN, the PN will also have to stop patrolling the WPS as they go about with their mandate)," he added.

Malaya also reminded these groups that China is the one militarizing the WPS.

"China ang nag militarize, hindi naman ang Pilipinas, tayo naman ang ating mga tropa sa occupied features natin ang ginagawa nila garrison duties. (China is the one militarizing, not the Philippines, our troops manning our occupied features are only doing garrison duties)," he added.

Malaya said Manila agreeing to demilitarize the WPS would be equivalent to giving up its territory to Beijing.

In a separate statement, the NSC official said the groups' call are contrary to national interest.

"Why call on the Armed Forces of the Philippines who are deployed to the nine occupied features of the Philippines to leave? If the AFP leaves our occupied features, that's tantamount to dereliction of duty and betrayal of public trust," Malaya said.

He advised Bayan to instead call on China to leave the WPS, noting that the latter built artificial islands and military bases in WPS.

"The AFP is merely doing garrison duties, doing their jobs in accordance with international law and the 2016 Arbitral Ruling, why should they pull out of the West PH Sea? The Philippine Navy is performing its mandate to secure the territorial integrity of the Philippines and protect our fishermen, why should they pull out of the WPS?," he added.

Malaya also said Bayan's call for the United States to leave the WPS is misplaced as there are no American soldiers deployed in the area.

He also said the passage of US vessels in the WPS is part of freedom of navigation operations as permitted by international law.

"If the AFP leaves the WPS and the US Navy stops its freedom of navigation operations, who does that favor? China definitely. That will embolden China more. Bayan has to be more circumspect because they are falling into the trap of the Chinese Communist Party," he added.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1227705