Dela Rosa backs joint naval drills with US in West Philippine Sea

Senator Ronald dela Rosa on Monday expressed support to the proposal to conduct joint naval drills of Filipino and American troops in the West Philippine Sea to prevent China from attacking Filipino fishermen there.

Dela Rosa was referring to the suggestion made by retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio amid the new Chinese Coast Guard law which allows Chinese forces to “take all necessary measures, including the use of weapons when national sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction are being illegally infringed upon by foreign organizations or individuals at sea.”

“That’s a good idea (Joint PHL-US naval drills in West Philippine Sea) para maramdaman ng mga Chinese na we are ready 'pag sila ay talagang maging over aggressive...na ready ang Pilipinas, with the support of the United States, given the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT),” Dela Rosa said in an interview with CNN Philippines.

Dela Rosa was referring to the MDT inked between the Philippines and US in 1951 wherein both parties agreed that an armed attack in the Pacific Area on either the Philippines and the US would be dangerous and that they would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with the constitutional processes.

“Considering iyong statements ng Biden administration na favorable sa Pilipinas…na sana hindi lang in words. Dapat in deeds ‘yan. Baka mamaya salita lang ‘yan, walang gawa,” he pointed out.

“Kung magkaputukan roon ang Chinese and Filipino forces, dapat tumulong agad ang Amerika,” he added.

The former police chief was referring to the statement by US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin that the US “remains opposed to any unilateral attempts to change the status quo in the East China Sea.”

US aircraft carrier led by the USS Theodore Roosevelt entered the South China Sea a week ago to promote freedom of navigation.

In July 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration upheld the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in West Philippine Sea and rejected China’s expansive nine-dash claim.

China, however, has refused to honor the ruling and continued its activities in the area including aggression on Filipino fishermen within the Philippines’ EEZ.

Such aggression included the ramming of the F/B Gem-Ver in the Reed Bank last June 2019 wherein 22 Filipino fishermen aboard were left to die until they were rescued by a Vietnamese fishing boat.—AOL, GMA News