US committed to a free Indo-Pacific – 7th Fleet commander

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 19, 2024): US committed to a free Indo-Pacific – 7th Fleet commander (By Priam Nepomuceno)

VISITING 7TH FLEET COMMANDER. Armed Forces of the Philippines vice chief of staff Lt. Gen. Arthur Cordura (right) and US 7th Fleet commander Vice Admiral Frederick William Kacher during the latter’s courtesy call on Wednesday (June 19, 2024). Kacher reaffirmed his country's stance in upholding rules-based international law to promote a free and prosperous Indo-Pacific region. (Photo courtesy of the AFP)

MANILA – US 7th Fleet commander Vice Admiral Frederick William Kacher reaffirmed his country's stance in upholding rules-based international law to promote a free and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad said Kacher made this comment following his courtesy call to the AFP headquarters at Camp Aguinaldo where he was welcomed by AFP vice chief of staff Lt. Gen. Arthur Cordura.

"During the meeting, Lt. Gen. Cordura and Vice Admiral Kacher discussed the current security environment and reaffirmed their commitment to upholding rules-based international law to promote a free and prosperous Indo-Pacific Region," Trinidad said.

The two officials also talked about progressive engagements in multilateral partnerships that aim to advance collective maritime domain security.

Cordura thanked he US' continued support in enhancing the military's capabilities, stressing the importance of the annual "Balikatan" exercise.

The Philippines, the US and other partner nations such as Australia have been conducting military drills amid Chinese aggression in the West Philippine Sea.

Kacher's visit came days after the Chinese Coast Guard rammed a Philippine vessel while on rotation and resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal, causing severe injury to a Philippine Navy personnel.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1227232

PCG sends BRP Gabriela Silang to sea exercise with Indonesia, Japan

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 19, 2024): PCG sends BRP Gabriela Silang to sea exercise with Indonesia, Japan (By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz)

TO MARPOLEX. The BRP Gabriela Silang, an offshore patrol vessel of the Philippine Coast Guard after its send-off ceremony at Panacan Wharf in Davao City on Wednesday (June 19, 2024). The vessel and its crew are the country's representative for the Regional Marine Pollution Exercise (MARPOLEX) 2024 with the coast guard representatives of Indonesia and Japan in Bacolod City from June 24 to 29. (Photo courtesy of PCG)

MANILA – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday deployed BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301) to join the Regional Marine Pollution Exercise (MARPOLEX) 2024 among the coast guards of the Philippines, Indonesia and Japan in Bacolod City next week.

During the send-off ceremony for the 83-meter offshore patrol vessel at Panacan Wharf in Davao City, PCG District Southeastern Mindanao Commander, Commodore Rejard Marfe said the exercise is to showcase the dedication of the three countries in protecting the seas and their maritime borders during emergencies.

“We exemplify steadfast guardianship to our nation’s ship serving as a beacon of safety and protection of the open waters,” Marfe said.

The participation of BRP Gabriela Silang and its crew, he said, is part of the PCG’s responsibility as “custodians of our marine environment.”

“Your dedication will enhance our readiness, allowing us to promptly and efficiently respond to pollution incidents, thus protecting marine ecosystems and coastal communities,” he said.

The MARPOLEX 2024 is scheduled on June 24 to 29.

At the event, the coast guard representatives of each country will take part in exercises on search and rescue, firefighting, oil spill recovery, equipment recovery, and damage assessment.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1227250

NPA member yields, turns over firearm in Bulacan

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 19, 2024): NPA member yields, turns over firearm in Bulacan (By Manny Balbin)

SURRENDER. The firearm and ammunition turned over by a Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) member identified only as Ka Tony, 53 years old. He surrendered to a joint team of soldiers and police officers in Bulacan on Tuesday (June 18, 2024). (Photo courtesy of Bulacan PPO)

CAMP GEN. ALEJO SANTOS, Bulacan – A Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army (CPP-NPA) member voluntarily surrendered to the Bulacan police on Tuesday.

In his statement on Wednesday, Col. Relly B. Arnedo, Bulacan police provincial director, identified the surrenderer as alias Ka Tony, 53, a tricycle driver, and member of Rebolusyonaryong Hukbong Bayan (RHB).

Ka Tony, according to Arnedo, was operating in the coastal areas of Bulacan, Pampanga, and Bataan. He was convinced to join the rebel group apparently to "attain equal rights and avoid social injustice".

Arnedo said a joint police and military team facilitated the surrender at Camp Alejo S. Santos in Malolos City.

The returnee turned over a caliber .38 revolver with serial number 66010, and three pieces of live ammunition of the same caliber. He is presently under the custody of the 1st Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC) for investigation and custodial debriefing.

"Bulacan Police is stern in its intensified campaign against insurgency and terrorism to ensure the provision of social services, employment opportunities, and an improved quality of life in communities that have been experiencing or are vulnerable to armed communist conflict," Arnedo said.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1227220

ELCAC projects benefit 4 remote barangays in Iloilo town

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 20, 2024): ELCAC projects benefit 4 remote barangays in Iloilo town (By Perla Lena)

FARM-TO-MARKET ROAD. Mayor Reynor R. Gonzales (4th from left) and Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Lorenz R. Defensor (6th from left), joined by other officials of the municipality of Lambunao, lead the ribbon-cutting ceremony during the inauguration of the PHP20 million farm-to-market road connecting Barangays Sibacungan and Poblacion Ilaya on June 13, 2024. Gonzales said they would inaugurate four completed road projects in four remote barangays funded under the Support to Barangay Development Program of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict on June 21. (Photo screengrab from CEC Infocenter Lambunao video)

ILOILO CITY – Four road projects funded under the Local Government Support Fund - Support to Barangay Development Program (LGSF-SBDP) of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) are benefiting four remote barangays in the municipality of Lambunao, Iloilo.

Mayor Reynor R. Gonzales, in an interview on Wednesday, said the projects in Barangays Sagcup, Banban, Bagongbong, and Panuran, worth PHP6.6 million each, are already completed and set for inauguration on Friday.

“They are already cleared. Previously, they (were) considered as conflict areas. They used to be in the hinterland but no longer today because they already have road access and development projects continue,” he said.

Gonzales said development projects empower people in the area. They get involved in managing their projects.

The recipients are among the town’s populated areas, with at least 1,000 residents per barangay.

“They were the ones who identified the projects, so they are active in the implementation,” he added.

Gonzales noted that aside from the ELCAC projects, there are also projects from the provincial government, the House of Representatives, and the local government of Lambunao implemented in other barangays.

On June 13, the local government inaugurated the PHP20 million farm-to-market road (FMR) connecting Barangays Sibacungan and Poblacion Ilaya, funded under the LGSF-Financial Support to LGUs through the office of Iloilo 3rd District Rep. Lorenz R. Defensor.

The 1,340-lineal-meter paved FMR will hasten the transport of farm products to the market.

https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1227244

AFP chief: 'Great restraint' prevented escalation of WPS tension

From the Philippine News Agency (Jun 20, 2024): AFP chief: 'Great restraint' prevented escalation of WPS tension (By Miguel Gil)

RECKLESS AND ILLEGAL. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. (left) denounces the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) for its hostile actions against Philippine troops inside Philippine jurisdiction, during a press briefing in Puerto Princesa City on Wednesday (June 19, 2024). Meanwhile, Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres. Jr. lauded Philippine Navy personnel involved in an encounter with the CCG on Monday (June 17, 2024) for their restraint. (Video grab by Izza Reynoso)

PUERTO PRINCESA, Palawan – The Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) leadership said it was the “reckless and illegal” actions of the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) that caused injury to several Philippine Navy (PN) personnel while delivering fresh supplies to the crew of the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal at the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The AFP leadership emphasized, however, that PN personnel exercised great restraint during Monday’s confrontation with the CCG, which is why the incident did not deteriorate any further despite the theft and vandalization of Philippine government equipment.

In a press conference here on Wednesday, AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr. maintained that the morale of Philippine troops protecting the West Philippine Sea (WPS) remains high despite escalating hostility from Chinese forces, which caused serious injury to one Filipino soldier and lesser injuries to at least seven others.

“They had no right to hijack and destroy Philippine vessels operating within our exclusive economic zone. This behavior resulted in severe injuries to one of our Navy personnel and stands as a stark violation of international maritime law, Philippine sovereignty, and sovereign rights,” he said.

Brawner said the core of the problem in the WPS is the continued presence and activities of Chinese vessels inside Philippine territory.

He emphasized that the “continued aggressive behavior of the Chinese coast guard is what escalates tensions in the area.”

The AFP chief noted that earlier on Wednesday, he visited the PN personnel directly involved in the interrupted rotation and reprovisioning (RoRe) mission on Monday, including the Naval Special Operations Group (NAVSOG) soldier who lost a finger during the scuffle with Chinese troops, who he identified only as Seaman 1st class Facundo.

Brawner said all the soldiers involved in the mission were awarded medals for their bravery.

During the same press briefing, Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres, Jr., who heads the Western Command (Wescom), said the CCG personnel were able to seize the weapons and puncture the rubber boats of the PN personnel because Philippine troops involved in RORE missions are required to keep their firearms in gun cases to deescalate an often tense situation.

“One of our guidance when it comes to the conduct of RoRe is no firearms will be handed or shown by our personnel to the CCG personnel, and we are doing that to avoid misperception that we are conducting an armed operation,” he explained.

Torres pointed out that the CCG took advantage of the Philippine troops’ restraint to “loot” their firearms and destroy their boats.

However, despite the foreigners’ aggression, “our personnel observed firmness, patience, and resilience when they were illegally boarded by the Chinese coast guard,” he said. (With a report from Izza Reynoso/PNA)

 
https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1227270

France opens defense attaché office in Manila

Posted to MSN (Jun 19, 2024): France opens defense attaché office in Manila (By Bernadette E. Tamayo/Manila Times)

FRANCE opened on Monday a Defense Attaché Office (DAO) in the Philippines to further bolster defense ties between the two countries.

The French Embassy in Manila said that Capt. Stéphan Litzler took over as its Defense Attaché to the Philippines and Micronesia.

"This important decision was in line with the strengthening of bilateral relations between France and the Philippines, as called for by Presidents Emmanuel Macron and Ferdinand Marcos Jr.," the embassy said in a statement.

"Since the beginning of the year, this rapprochement in the field of defense has already taken concrete form with the official visit of Admiral Nicolas Vaujour, chief of staff of the French Navy on April 24, France's active participation in the Balikatan exercise in April with the presence of the frigate Vendémiaire and the stopover of the destroyer Bretagne in Manila from May 31 to June 4," it added.

In July this year, the Philippines will host the first stopover of several combat and support aircraft, including 2 Rafales, as part of the French Air Force's annual Pegase deployment, the embassy said.

The DAO to the Philippines and Micronesia will also be composed of Col. Michel Midon, the armament attaché, who has been based in Manila since September 2023, and Command Master Sergeant Éric Thieffry, the embassy said.

https://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/national/france-opens-defense-attach%C3%A9-office-in-manila/ar-BB1os7yD

China Rejects Philippine Efforts to Expand the Continental Shelf in the South China Sea

Posted to Asia Today (Jun 19, 2024): China Rejects Philippine Efforts to Expand the Continental Shelf in the South China Sea (By Redaksi/Asiatoday)

Joint Military Exercises between the Philippines and the United States. Doc

ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA – China rejected the Philippines’ move to seek UN approval to expand its continental shelf in the South China Sea and secure “exclusive” rights to exploit undersea resources, state media reported on Monday.

“The Philippines unilaterally filed a case regarding the delimitation of the outer continental shelf in the South China Sea, which violates China’s sovereignty and jurisdictional rights,” said Chinese Foreign Minister Spokesperson Lin Jian, according to the Global Times.

“This action violates international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and is contrary to the relevant provisions of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea,” he added.

Several Filipino diplomats at the UN submitted information to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on Friday to “register the country’s rights to the extended continental shelf, or ECS, in the West Palawan Region” of the sea, according to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs.

However, under the commission’s Rules of Procedure, if a case filed by the Philippines involves disputed territory, the commission may not consider or recognize it, Lin said.

Relations between Manila and Beijing have soured over long-standing disputes over territory in the South China Sea.

Beijing claims vast maritime territory there based on a “nine-dash line” stretching hundreds of miles south and east of the southernmost province of Hainan, which the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration said in 2016 has no legal basis under international law .

However, China rejected the ruling and has been negotiating with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) since 2002 to establish a code of conduct in the disputed sea. (ATN)

https://asiatoday.id/read/china-rejects-philippine-efforts-to-expand-the-continental-shelf-in-the-south-china-sea#google_vignette

In South China Sea dispute, Philippines' bolder hand tests Beijing

Posted to MSN (Jun 19, 2024):  (By Karen Lema and Greg Torode/Reuters)In South China Sea dispute, Philippines' bolder hand tests Beijing

FILE PHOTO: An aerial view shows the BRP Sierra Madre on the contested Second Thomas Shoal, locally known as Ayungin, in the South China Sea, March 9, 2023./File Photo© Thomson Reuters

MANILA/HONG KONG (Reuters) - Huddled in the presidential situation room in February last year, senior Philippines officials faced a stark choice.

Military and intelligence leaders watched as coast guard officers showed photos of what the agency said was a military-grade laser that China had pointed at a Philippines ship in disputed waters days earlier.

Eduardo Ano, the national security adviser and chair of the South China Sea taskforce, had to decide whether to release the pictures and risk Beijing's ire, or refrain from aggravating his giant neighbour.

"The public deserves to know," the retired general told the officials. "Publish the photographs."

The previously undisclosed meeting marked a pivotal moment, as Manila began a publicity blitz to highlight the intensifying territorial dispute in the South China Sea, where the ramming of ships, use of water cannons and ensuing diplomatic protests have sharply raised tensions.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. soldiers participate in a live fire exercise during the annual joint military exercises between U.S. and Philippines called "Balikatan" or shoulder-to-shoulder, at Laoag, Ilocos Norte, Philippines, May 6, 2024. REUTERS/Eloisa Lopez/File Photo© Thomson Reuters

"It was a turning point and the birth of the transparency policy," National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya, who attended the meeting and recounted the exchange, told Reuters. "The goal was to eventually impose severe costs to Beijing's reputation, image and standing."

Malaya said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr had directed officials to "civilianise and internationalise" the dispute, which they had achieved by using the coast guard and routinely embedding foreign journalists on missions. "This became an important component of building international support for the Philippines, because our audience is also foreign governments," he added.

This account of the Philippines' policy switch and its implications is based on interviews with 20 Philippine and Chinese officials, regional diplomats and analysts. They said publicising China's actions, combined with Manila's deepened military alliance with the U.S., had constrained Beijing's ability to escalate matters at sea but raised the risks of Chinese economic retaliation and U.S. involvement.

The February 2023 meeting occurred days after Marcos granted the U.S. access to four more military bases in the Philippines, rekindling defence ties that had suffered under his predecessor, Rodrigo Duterte.

"China has few escalatory options left without triggering the U.S.-Philippines mutual defence treaty and risking a military confrontation between Chinese and U.S. forces," said Ian Storey, a security scholar at Singapore's Yusof Ishak ISEAS Institute.

Marcos has also pursued a diplomatic offensive, gaining statements of support for the Philippines' position from countries such as Canada, Germany, India and Japan.

The South China Sea is rich in oil and gas. About $3 trillion in trade passes through it annually. U.S. access to Philippine bases could prove important in a war over Taiwan.

China, whose claims to most of the sea were invalidated by an international tribunal in 2016, says Philippine vessels illegally intrude into waters surrounding disputed shoals. It has warned Marcos, who took office in June 2022, against misjudging the situation.

"This is brinkmanship, poker," said Philippine legal scholar Jay Batongbacal. "Brinkmanship is taking things to the edge, trying to see who loses his nerve. Poker is a game of bluffing and deception – one could be doing both at the same time."

In response to Reuters questions, China's foreign ministry said the Philippines had been stoking tensions with "provocative actions at sea in an attempt to infringe on China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights".

China, it said, would defend its interests while handling the dispute peacefully through dialogue.

A U.S. State Department spokesperson said Manila's transparency initiative had succeeded in calling greater attention to China's "disregard for international law" and actions that endangered Philippine service members.

The spokesperson would not comment on the risk of U.S. military involvement but said the U.S. would support the Philippines if it faced economic coercion from China.

'AWAKE AT NIGHT'

The conflict is over Scarborough Shoal and Second Thomas Shoal, where the Philippine navy maintains a rusting warship, BRP Sierra Madre, that it beached in 1999 to reinforce Manila's sovereignty claims. A small crew is stationed on it.

Chinese ships have sought to block resupply missions, by encircling Philippine vessels and firing water cannons that in March shattered a boat's windshield, injuring its crew. Manila released footage of the incident; China said it acted lawfully and professionally.

In February, Philippine ships recorded Chinese counterparts placing a barrier across the entrance to Scarborough Shoal. This week, both sides traded accusations over a collision involving their vessels near Second Thomas Shoal.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Jay Tarriela taunts Chinese officials and state media on X, sometimes posting drone footage of maritime clashes. "If I were doing anything incorrect, I would have been shut down," he said.

Tarriela said the transparency drive had worked, by galvanising support for Manila while the threshold of China's aggression had not changed, despite an increase in incidents.

"They are still depending on their water cannon ... they are still stuck with that kind of tactic," he said.

The number of Chinese vessels around Second Thomas Shoal during Philippine resupply missions has grown from a single ship on average in 2021 to around 14 in 2023, the Center for Strategic and International Studies said in January.

Last month, China's coast guard came within metres of the Sierra Madre and seized supplies air-dropped to troops stationed there, according to Philippine officials. China, whose navy patrolled nearby, said Filipino soldiers pointed guns at its coast guard; Manila said they just held their weapons.

Philippine officials say they fear a fatal accident could escalate into open hostilities.

"That keeps a lot of us awake at night," the Philippines' ambassador to Washington, Jose Manuel Romualdez, told Reuters.

Manila also wants to avoid the kind of economic pressure it faced around a decade ago, when protracted Chinese customs checks caused Philippine bananas to rot on Chinese docks.

China was the Philippines' second-biggest export market in 2023, taking nearly $11 billion worth or 14.8% of all its shipments. China is the Philippines' top source of imports, mainly refined petroleum products and electronics.

Romualdez said Manila hoped China would "see the value of continuing our economic activity while trying to peacefully resolve the issue".

Edcel John Ibarra, a political scientist at the University of the Philippines, said Marcos risks provoking China into "a harder approach", such as non-tariff barriers and tourism restrictions. He pointed to changes China announced in May that allow its coast guard to detain foreigners without trial for 60 days.

'PARADIGM SHIFT'

The intensity of Manila's campaign has surprised its neighbours. Vietnam and Malaysia, which also have maritime disputes with Beijing, have been more cautious about what they release from their skirmishes with China.

"We are all watching this and talking amongst ourselves," said one Asian diplomat, who was not authorised to be named. "The Philippines has carved out a new strategy in standing up to Beijing over a point of friction."

Marcos said in December that diplomacy with China had achieved little, calling on Southeast Asia "to come up with a paradigm shift".

China's state media have expressed irritation with the transparency push.

The Philippines has been "playing the victim to deceive international public opinions", the state-backed Global Times said in an op-ed in May.

A key aspect of Manila's approach has been solidifying the U.S. alliance. Both countries made clear in May last year that their defence treaty also covers the coast guard. In April, Marcos participated in an unprecedented summit with his U.S. and Japanese counterparts.

A U.S. official involved in U.S.-China talks that month said Chinese officials have complained about these diplomatic breakthroughs behind closed doors, adding that Beijing was "feeling the squeeze".

Some Chinese scholars, like Zha Daojiong, at Peking University's School of International Studies, say the situation is at an impasse and that China will continue to be "essentially reactive" at flashpoints like Second Thomas Shoal.

"By responding to the Philippines' action, I guess they want to keep the message that this shoal is in dispute," he said.

(Additional reporting by Laurie Chen, Simon Lewis and Mikhail Flores; editing by Antoni Slodkowski and David Crawshaw)

https://www.msn.com/en-my/news/world/in-south-china-sea-dispute-philippines-bolder-hand-tests-beijing/ar-BB1otA7g

AFP honors Navy officer injured in China Coast Guard ramming

From ABS-CBN (Jun 19, 2024): AFP honors Navy officer injured in China Coast Guard ramming (By Jauhn Etienne Villaruel, Dennis Datu)

MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Wednesday awarded a Philippine Navy personnel who sustained "serious" injury during the June 17 resupply mission in Ayungin shoal that was allegedly harassed by Chinese forces.

• DFA calls out China over injuries to troops, damage to boat

Seaman First Class Jeffrey Facundo received a "wounded personnel medal" from AFP chief Romeo Brawner, who personally visited the bedridden sailor.

"Magpagaling ka, huwag ka mawalan ng pag-asa, nandito kami. Kung may mga kailangan ka sabihan mo lang kami," Brawner told the wounded Navy personnel.

Facundo thanked the AFP for the medal but refused to answer reporters' questions about his injury and what happened during the resupply mission.

"May nakakataas po sa 'min na sasagot," he said.

• Int'l community rallies behind PH amid new Ayungin incident

Government officials have been mum about the details of the recent resupply mission in Ayungin shoal, but sources said at least 8 sailors were wounded, including one who allegedly lost a finger.

On Tuesday, several allies expressed solidarity with Philippines, with the United States reiterating its mutual defense pact with Manila.

US to stand by Philippines amid China's 'provocative' actions — Pentagon

Ayungin Shoal hosts a tiny Philippine garrison stationed on a deliberately beached old warship. It has been a focus of escalating confrontations between Chinese and Philippine ships in recent months as Beijing steps up efforts to push its claims to the disputed area.

Shortly after the incident, the Chinese coast guard reported that a Philippine resupply ship in the area had "ignored many solemn warnings from the Chinese side".

It "approached the... Chinese vessel in an unprofessional way, resulting in a collision", Beijing said, accusing the ship of having "illegally broken into the sea near Ren'ai Reef".

"The Chinese Coast Guard took control measures against the Philippine ship in accordance with the law," it added.

But the Philippine armed forces called China's version of events "misleading", decrying "the illegal presence and actions of Chinese vessels within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone".

Manila's national task force on the West Philippine Sea later said the Chinese vessels had "engaged in dangerous manoeuvres, including ramming and towing".

"Their actions put at risk the lives of our personnel and damaged our boats," it said.

– With a report from Agence France-Presse

https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/19/afp-honors-navy-officer-injured-in-china-coast-guard-ramming-1226

POTD: Armed Forces of the Philippines - Archipelagic Coastal Defense

 Posted to TFB-The Firearm Blog (Jun 18, 2024): POTD: Armed Forces of the Philippines - Archipelagic Coastal Defense (By Eric B)

Top of the morning and welcome to TFB's Photo Of The Day! Today we get a closer look at U.S. Marines with the 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, and service members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines as they conduct the final exercise for Archipelagic Coastal Defense Continuum in Barira, Philippines, May 2024. The final exercise consisted of a bilateral company-level element conducting close-quarter combat and patrol-based operations.

Below: U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Zachary Thivierge, a platoon sergeant with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, conducts a close-quarters battle drill.



ACDC is a series of bilateral exchanges and training opportunities between the U.S. Marines and Philippine Marines aimed at bolstering the Philippine Marine Corps’ Coastal Defense strategy while supporting the modernization efforts of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, and service members of the Armed Force of the Philippines pose for a photo.

Armed Forces of the Philippines - Archipelagic Coastal Defense Continuum

[Images and captions: U.S. Marine Corps, photo by Sgt. Shaina Jupiter.]

https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/potd-armed-forces-of-the-philippines-archipelagic-coastal-defense-c-44814412

Philippines Grants Us Five More EDCA Bases

Posted to the Asian Military Review (Jun 19, 2024): Philippines Grants Us Five More EDCA Bases (By Gordon Arthur)

Four new EDCA sites have been added to the five existing locations. On this map, red markers refer to new sites, and yellow to existing ones. (Google Earth)

Now that anti-American Rodrigo Duterte is no longer President of the Philippines, the US Government in Washington DC is enjoying a rapprochement with the country diplomatically and militarily. This rekindled relationship under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. manifested itself in the designation on 3 April of four additional Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites.

“In addition to the five existing sites, these new locations will strengthen the interoperability of the US and Philippine armed forces and allow us to respond more seamlessly together to address a range of shared challenges in the Indo-Pacific region, including natural and humanitarian disasters,” the US Department of Defense (DoD) declared.

EDCA is a 2014 arrangement whereby the US can rotate forces and access agreed-upon Philippine military bases. It has the right to build storage facilities and to preposition equipment, but EDCA does not permit permanent basing.

The US and Philippines agreed that they would “rapidly pursue modernisation projects” at the four locations of Camilo Osias Naval Base in Cagayan; Camp Melchor Dela Cruz in Isabela; Lal-lo Airport in Cagayan; and Balabac Island in Palawan.

Only the latter site bounds the South China Sea, while the other three are in the northern Philippines, closer to Taiwan. Most importantly, these northern sites will bolster the ability of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to conduct naval and air operations around the Luzon Strait and Benham Rise.

The Luzon Strait separates the Philippines and Taiwan, connecting the South China Sea to the Philippine Sea. Its strategic importance is self-evident, since it forms a gap in the First-Island Chain that contains China. It is one route through which Chinese warships can access the Western Pacific and threaten Taiwan.

As for Benham Rise, 155 miles (250 kilometres) east of Luzon, the Philippines successfully claimed this as part of its continental shelf in 2012. China has conducted unauthorised seabed surveys in this area.

Naturally, Beijing sharply criticised EDCA’s expansion, claiming the US military would use them to intervene in a Taiwan Strait crisis or to attack China. Yet the exact location of the sites is not the big issue – what China objects to is closer security cooperation between these two allies.

Beijing’s purpose has always been to disrupt this alliance. China was able to exert significant sway during the Duterte era, but it is now irritated the Philippine government is neither pro-China nor so acquiescent.

Huang Xilian, China’s Ambassador to the Philippines, warned: “Obviously, the US intends to take advantage of the new EDCA sites to interfere in the situation across the Taiwan Strait to serve its geopolitical goals, and advance its anti-China agenda at the expense of peace and development of the Philippines and the region at large.”

The US had allocated $82 million for infrastructure at five existing EDCA sites, but this will enlarge to $100 million to encompass the new sites. The five incumbent sites are Basa Air Base in Pampanga; Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija; Antonio Bautista Air Base in Palawan; Benito Ebuen Air Base in Cebu; and Lumbia Air Base in Cagayan de Oro.

The five EDCA sites incorporate 15 infrastructure projects, but just five have been completed to date. They include a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) warehouse, fuel tank and Command & Control (C2) fusion centre in Palawan.

Rehabilitation of Basa Air Base’s 1.7 mile (2.8km) runway commenced in March, with work to be completed by September. Construction has already begun on a 1.8 mile (3km) runway on Balabac too, which will also receive an HADR warehouse, barracks and other military facilities.

Such projects bolster the ability of both the AFP and US military to conduct bilateral training such as the annual Balikatan exercises, plus they give both sides greater resilience for tasks such as HADR and national self-defence.

To China’s chagrin, the US DoD noted: “…We will continue to consult closely with the Philippines on new opportunities that serve our shared interests.”

The possibility exists of even more EDCA sites being declared. Colonel Medel Aguilar, AFP spokesperson, noted: “If we’re talking about the further expansion of EDCA, this is possible. We’re an archipelagic country and we have so many islands; we have a long shoreline. If we’re to protect our sovereignty and territorial integrity, including the protection of maritime resources that should be enjoyed by our people, we need 360° protection capability for the AFP.”

https://www.asianmilitaryreview.com/2024/06/philippines-grants-us-five-more-edca-bases/

8 PH Navy men injured; one had finger cut off

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jun 19, 2024): 8 PH Navy men injured; one had finger cut off (By Frances Mangosing, Nestor Corrales)

A China Coast Guard ship maneuvers past a Philippine fishing boat during the distribution of fuel and food to fishers by the civilian-led mission Atin Ito (This Is Ours) Coalition, in the disputed South China Sea on May 16, 2024. A Philippine boat convoy bearing supplies for Filipino fishers said they were headed back to port May 16, ditching plans to sail to a Beijing-held reef off the Southeast Asian country after one of their boats was “constantly shadowed” by a Chinese vessel. —photo by Ted Aljibe/Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — At least eight Philippine Navy sailors were injured after Chinese vessels on Monday sought to drive away their vessels on a rotation and resupply mission to Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

READ: China ships ram, tow PH vessels at Ayungin

The troops, including one whose finger got cut off, were wounded during a confrontation with Chinese forces that rammed and towed their rigid hull inflatable boats as they tried to reach grounded warship BRP Sierra Madre, according to a source who spoke on condition of anonymity due to lack of authority to speak on the matter.

Chinese troops also seized firearms of the Navy when they boarded one of the inflatable boats, the source said. This marked the first time that China boarded a Philippine boat and conducted a search.

The troops were not able to complete the resupply mission, the source said.

In a statement, Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad confirmed that one Navy sailor sustained a “severe injury” after an “intentional high-speed ramming” by the China Coast Guard (CCG) during the resupply mission.

Trinidad did not provide any further details, but said the injured was safely evacuated and received medical treatment.

‘Trespassing’

The developments at Ayungin followed after China’s new coast guard rules took effect over the weekend. Under the said rules, the CCG can detain for up to 60 days foreigners found “trespassing” Beijing-claimed waters.

State-run newspaper China Daily, quoting CCG spokesperson Gan Yu, also reported on Tuesday that the CCG “boarded, inspected and drove away Philippine vessels that illegally intruded” Ren’ai Reef—Beijing’s name for Ayungin Shoal.

Gan said the Philippines had violated its commitments by dispatching a supply ship and two inflatable boats into waters near Ayungin and attempting to deliver supplies to the Sierra Madre.

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea on Monday called out China’s “illegal, aggressive, and reckless actions by the Chinese maritime forces.”

The task force said “People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N), China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels engaged in dangerous maneuvers, including ramming and towing.”

These actions put “the lives at risk of our personnel and damaged our boats, in blatant violation of international law, particularly the United Nations Charter, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” the task force said.

US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson had also noted in her statement on Monday that China’s “aggressive, dangerous maneuvers near Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal [had] caused bodily injury, damaged Philippine vessels, and hindered lawful maritime operations to supply food, water, and essential supplies to Philippine personnel within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.”
‘Serious discussions’

In response to Monday’s incident at Ayungin, American maritime security expert Ray Powell said Manila and Washington should now hold “serious discussions” on the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).

Under the 1951 treaty, which US President Joe Biden had described as “iron-clad,” the Philippines and the United States are committed to come to each other’s defense following an armed attack on either country.

“There needs to be serious MDT discussions now between the US and the Philippines,” Powell told the Inquirer on Tuesday. “First, China is clearly now blockading a Philippine military outpost, which already crosses the line into ‘act of war’ territory.”

“Boarding and towing naval vessels and confiscating weapons indicates that Beijing seems convinced it can act with impunity,” said the expert, who is director of the SeaLight project of Stanford University’s Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation. The project tracks operations at Ayungin and other parts of the South China Sea through satellite imagery.

Meanwhile a coalition of activists opposed to Chinese incursions in the West Philippine Sea called for the expulsion of Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian.

“We demand an immediate and strong response from our government, including the expulsion of the Chinese envoy to the Philippines and China’s surrender of its personnel responsible for causing serious harm to our front-liners and damage to our vessels,” Rafaela David, coconvener of the “Atin Ito” (This Is Ours) coalition, said in a statement on Tuesday.

She called the incident “a vile and barbaric act of intimidation in our own exclusive economic zone.”

“The Chinese coast guard has descended to the depths of thuggery, acting as goons and a scourge of the West Philippine Sea,” said David, who is also president of Akbayan party.

In April last year, Akbayan called for Huang’s expulsion after he expressed concern over US access to military bases in northern Luzon and advised the Philippines to “unequivocally oppose” Taiwan’s independence bid “if you care genuinely about the 150,000 [Filipino workers there].”

In December, then Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri urged President Marcos to expel Huang after China fired water cannons that month at Filipino fishermen near Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

https://www.inquirer.net/406717/8-ph-navy-men-injured-one-had-finger-cut-off/

West Philippine Sea: Filipino sailors fought armed CCGs ‘with bare hands’

From the Philippine Daily Inquirer (Jun 19, 2024): West Philippine Sea: Filipino sailors fought armed CCGs ‘with bare hands’ (By John Eric Mendoza)

FLAG OF RESISTANCE A fisherman waves the Philippine flag near a “payao” or artificial reef close to Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the West Philippines Sea to display resistance to Chinese incursions and to show other foreign vessels passing through the area that these waters are part of the country’s exclusive economic zone. —File photo from BIGKIS

PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Philippines — Philippine Navy personnel assigned in the West Philippine Sea resupply mission figured in a fight with bolo-wielding China coast guard (CCG) using their “bare hands.”

This happened despite the presence of firearms inside the Filipino resupply boat bound for BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner Jr. revealed on Wednesday.

“With their bare hands, tinutulak nila ang RHIB ng (rigid hull inflatable boats of) Chinese Coast Guard. They were preventing Chinese Coast Guard from hitting them,” Brawner said in a press conference in Puerto Princesa, Palawan.

READ: West Philippine Sea ramming incident could escalate – Pentagon

“Despite the absence of weapons to defend themselves ay lumaban po sila (they still fought),” he noted.

AFP Western Command chief Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres said that the CCG personnel also punctured Filipino’s RHIBs using their bolos.

Torres also confirmed that seven firearms were seized by CCG, but they were “inside gun cases” and were not used during the resupply mission.

Brawner said: “We have arms, but we did not use those. Ayaw po natin magkaroon ng giyera. (We don’t want to start a war.)

During Monday’s mission, a sailor lost his thumb while a number of naval personnel also sustained minor injuries, the AFP confirmed.

CCG rammed, towed, and even boarded Philippine ships, only deeming it as “control measures” in line with its claim of sovereignty in almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea.

The claim comes, despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling effectively dismissing its claims stemming from a case filed by Manila in 2013.

https://www.inquirer.net/406766/brawner-filipino-sailors-fought-bolo-wielding-ccgs-with-bare-hands/

Bulatlat: Groups seek justice for IP student killed in a military operation

Posted to the pro-CPP/NPA/NDF online propaganda outlet, Bulatlat (Jun 18, 2024): Groups seek justice for IP student killed in a military operation (By Dominic Gutoman)

Kuni Cuba’s remains | Photo by Oblates Brothers

MANILA – Several human rights groups condemned the extra-judicial killing of the 16-year-old Lumad student in Senator Ninoy Aquino town in Sultan Kudarat on June 8 in a military operation.

The victim, Kuni Cuba, was a Manobo-Dulangan youth and a recipient of the Indigenous Peoples’ scholarship program of the OMI Indigenous Peoples Mission.

Cuba was an incoming Grade 10 student.

According to reports, Cuba, his brother, and three others, including a 13-year-old child were heading home from a community event in Sitio Kiluding, Barangay Kiadsam, Sen. Ninoy Aquino (SNA) at around 5:00 a.m. when they encountered soldiers from the 7th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army (IBPA) who were purportedly conducting a military operation.

They were immediately fired at and accused of being part of the New People’s Army (NPA), said rights groups in a statement.

His friends survived the incident by hiding in the cornfields, but Cuba was killed.

Save Our Schools Network said soldiers have branded the victims as rebels in media interviews, claiming that they recovered a Caliber .30 Garand rifle.

The family denied the accusations of the military.

“These civilians are made out to have been killed in fabricated encounters between military or police forces and the New People’s Army (NPA),” said Cristina Palabay, secretary general of Karapatan.

Karapatan highlighted how civilians are being killed in what they referred to as fake encounters, having documented 67 victims under the term of Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

As it stands, local news MindaNow Sentinel reported that Cuba’s parents and the 7th IBPA settled through the intervention of their town mayor, who attended the funeral of the victim along with church people from Oblates Mission, village officials, and soldiers of the 7th IBPA.

Local officials and church workers join the funeral of Kuni Cuba | Photo by Mayor Randy Ecija Jr.

Karapatan said this is an “apparent admission that the boy’s killing was a mistake.”

“It is a 180-degree turn from a statement made by 7th IBPA commanding officer Lt. Col. Tristan Vallescas to Bombo Radyo Koronadal just hours after Cuba’s killing, that his troops had allegedly encountered an NPA group with eight members led by Cuba,” Palabay said.

For SOS Network, the settlements were also insufficient, as it benefited the perpetrators to evade accountability for their crimes. They underscored how the recent killing bears a chilling resemblance to the Lianga Massacre on June 15, 2021, where a 12-year-old Lumad student and two others were killed and later labeled as rebels.

“While no words can truly console Kuni’s family, we stand in unwavering solidarity with them and all Lumad people fighting for their children’s right to education amidst escalating violence, militarization, and impunity in their ancestral lands,” said SOS Network, demanding justice for Kuni, his family, and all victims of Lumad killings.

The rights groups called for a swift, impartial, and unobstructed investigation by the Commission on Human Rights and other relevant agencies, with particular focus on the military’s use of excessive force.

This is not the first time that the military resorted to falsely branding minors as “child soldiers.” Similar incidents have been documented in the case book of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) since 2001, highlighting these children as civilian casualties, which are blatant violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). (RTS, JJE)

[Retired Analyst Note: KARAPATAN is the main Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) umbrella human rights organization with chapters and other associated groups located throughout the Philippines. KARAPATAN is a member of the main CPP multisectoral umbrella front organization the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN-New Patriotic Alliance). The main mission of KARAPATAN is to engage in anti-government/anti-military human rights propaganda and disinformation in an effort to discredit and undermine support for government security forces. Often times it is difficult to discern fact from fiction in KARAPATAN reporting as the group mixes occasional factual reporting with lies, propaganda, and disinformation. Therefore it is important to keep in mind the anti-government/pro-CPP-NPA agenda of these groups in assessing their credibility.]

https://www.bulatlat.com/2024/06/18/groups-seek-justice-for-ip-student-killed-in-a-military-operation/

More troops deployed on EV

From the Daily Tribune (Jun 18, 2024): More troops deployed on EV (By Elmer Recuerdo)

TACLOBAN CITY — The Armed Forces of the Philippines deployed additional forces to Eastern Visayas to help eradicate the remaining members of the Eastern Visayas Regional Party Committee (EVRPC) of the New People’s Army.

The 8th Infantry Division welcomed the arrival of the First Howitzer Platoon, Bravo Battery, 7th Field Artillery Battalion (7FAB), Army Artillery Regiment (AAR) of the Philippine Army at its headquarters in Catbalogan City on Friday, 14 June.

Brig. Gen. Perfecto Peñaredondo, 8ID assistant division commander, said the arrival of the platoon marks a significant moment in the ongoing campaign to bring peace and stability in Eastern Visayas.

“The (Joint Task Force-Storm) is steadfast in our commitment to decimate the remnants of EVRPC through decisive actions and relentless operations. Our approach focuses on neutralizing the Communist Terrorist Group, while creating opportunities and welcoming those who will choose the peaceful way and return to the folds of the law,” Peñaredondo said.

The Philippine Army’s 7th Field Artillery Battalion (7FAB) is based in Carmen, Cotabato.

Meanwhile, the 8th Infantry Division Commander, Maj. Gen. Camilo Z. Ligayo expressed his confidence that the 1st Howitzer Platoon will significantly boost the current gains of 8ID and the JTF-Storm in the fight to end insurgency in the region.

“The significant accomplishments in your previous assignment speaks of your dedication and hard work in accomplishing your mission. Now that you are here in 8ID, I am confident that you will be able to help us boost our campaign of totally eradicating the remnants of the CPP-NPA,” Ligayo said.

The deployment of the 1st Howitzer Platoon, Bravo Battery of 7FAB, AAR with their 155mm M114 Howitzer will bolster the current firepower capabilities of the division for the total eradication of the remnants of EVRPC, the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army’s umbrella organization in the region.

The 155mm M114 Howitzer is one of the largest artillery assets of the Philippine Army.

https://tribune.net.ph/2024/06/18/more-troops-deployed-on-ev