Aquino administration's lack of political will paved way for China's reclamations in WPS —Solcom chief

The inaction of the previous administration allowed China to create a stronghold in the West Philippine Sea, Southern Luzon Command chief Lieutenant General Antonio Parlade Jr. said on Monday.

During the deliberation of the Commission on Appointments, Parlade said the Armed Forces monitored China's reclamation activities in the disputed waters as early as 2013.

"All of these were documented but nobody took action about that. The Department of Foreign Affairs, even the Office of the President, did not take action. Even the National Security Council did not take action on this until such time that they were able to completely establish the military bases in this West Philippine Sea, and until there was this ruling from the arbitral tribunal," Parlade said.

"What we need is really political will, because if at the start we did something to tell China to stop its reclamation in 2013, then probably we could have nipped from the bud this attempt by the Chinese to reclaim," he added.

However, he also acknowledged that the AFP's hands are tied as regards the current administration's policy on the West Philippine Sea dispute.

"As the military is the extension of politics, we would abide with whatever the President, our commander in chief will tell us," he said.

"Currently, the policy is to make sure that there's peaceful, I don’t want to say peaceful co-existence, but maintain peace and stability," he added.

Parlade, nonetheless, said it does not mean the government is foregoing the ruling of the international court which invalidated China's claims in the Philippines' territorial waters.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian recently said the Philippines violated China's sovereignty and security by sending military aircraft into airspace adjacent to islands and reefs being occupied by China.

In response, Malacanang asserted the Philippines' sovereign rights over some features in the West Philippine Sea.

"Siguro po opinyon ng Tsina ‘yan pero tayo po patuloy tayong nagpapalipad ng mga supplies papunta po sa Kalayaan [Group of Islands] at patuloy tayo nagkakaroon ng overflights diyan po sa Bajo de Masinloc [Scarborough Shoal]," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

"We maintain also that it’s part of our sovereignty or our sovereign rights... Consistent naman po ang ating Presidente, he will not give even an inch of our national territory or sovereign rights to any other state," he added.

'Joint patrols, strategic framework'

AFP spokesman Major General Edgard Arevalo said the armed forces needs more aircrafts and vessels to conduct regular aerial and maritime sovereignty patrols in the West Philippine Sea.

There is also a need to strengthen their littoral monitoring stations, he added.

Aside from the logistical needs, the armed forces also need to forge stronger ties with other neighboring countries such as Malaysia and Indonesia for joint border patrols.

Parlade, meanwhile, underscored that the strategic framework to protect the West Philippine Sea shall not be confined to the AFP.

"The security and protection of these areas should not be left to the Armed Forces. It should include the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, the Department of Transportation, including PDEA, the Bureau of Immigration," he said.

He added that the government needs to show more support to the local fishermen who are bearing the brunt of the territorial dispute.—LDF, GMA News