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We need bigger boats to augment West Philippine Sea patrols –PNP Maritime Group
By CONSUELO MARQUEZ, GMA News The Philippine National Police (PNP) Maritime Group said on Monday that they will be needing bigger boats to extend the scope of their sovereignty patrols in the West Philippine Sea amid the presence of Chinese vessels.
Last week, authorities found more than 200 Chinese militia ships scattered across the West Philippine Sea. The Foreign Affairs Department filed a diplomatic protest
"With regard also to the questions if we are capable of patrolling the West Philippine Sea, as of the moment, we have these smaller boats that are capable of patrolling up to the ... 24 nautical miles from the archipelagic baselines. So hanggang doon lang po kami sa ngayon because we have no bigger boats," PNP Maritime Group chief Brigadier General John Mitchell Jamili said during the weekly PNP briefing at Camp Crame.
"But the PNP Maritime Group is very willing to patrol up to the exclusive economic zone that is why we have these wish list to have bigger ships and also kung tutulong yung PNP Maritime Group kung kinakailangan, yes we are very willing to help in this endeavor," he added.
Regular patrols
For now, PNP chief General Debold Sinas said that police maritime assets are conducting coastal patrols to help protect the sovereignty of the country.
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Sinas added that they will also constantly share intelligence with the Armed Forces of the Philippines over the West Philippine Sea issue.
"Tutulong kami sa intelligence gathering within the coastal area. At pangatlo, ay pagmomonitor ng mga lumalapit po sa mga lugar natin kasi yun ang pinakauna natin at lahat po kami ay sumusuporta sa programa po ng AFP para po bantayan po ang mga islands po natin sa West Philippine Sea," adding that they will help the Philippine Navy and other government agencies over the situation in the West Philippine Sea.
(We will help in the intelligence gathering with the coastal area. We will monitor forces entering our territory and we will support the AFP in protecting our islands at the disputed waters.)
Jamili, for his part, said they are regularly conducting coastal patrol along the Ilocos, Central Luzon, and Mimaropa Regions, which are facing the West Philippine Sea.
He added that they plan to deploy a special operations unit at Pagasa Island to augment the current forces of the government.
Jamili said they are also meeting regularly with the National Task Force West Philippine Sea, led by National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr.
China has constantly downplayed the concerns of Philippine officials over the growing number of Chinese vessels swarming the West Philippine Sea. China said it would resolve relevant disputes with the Philippines through friendly relations. — DVM, GMA News