Senators seek probe into Chinese aircraft stops in Davao

Six minority senators have filed a resolution to launch a probe into the successive "technical stops" made by Chinese bomber planes in Davao City to determine "whether [these] violated the constitutional prohibition on the presence of foreign troops in the country."

The five-page Senate Resolution No. 779 seeks to question the Department of National Defense (DND) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on the landings.

It was filed by Senate Minority Leader Franklin M. Drilon and Senators Leila De Lima, Bam Aquino, Risa Hontiveros, Francis Pangilinan, and Antonio Trillanes IV.

A Chinese military aircraft landed at the Davao City International Airport in early June, an incident Malacañang explained as a refueling stop.

"The request for landing was received, processed and cleared by relevant Philippine Government agencies. The landing was requested for the specific purpose of refuelling and was granted and given with specific conditions for compliance by the requesting party," Special Assistant to the President Bong Go said in a statement.

Later that month, another Chinese aircraft landed at the same airport, apparently for the same reason.

"Same as first. Refuelling stop. All licenses, permits and protocols issued and observed," presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said in a message to reporters.

According to the senators' statement, however, claims have been made that more landings had been seen in the area prior to the first sighting.

The senators believe the circumstances behind the landing may be the result of a personal favor from President Rodrigo Duterte to China, as the Philippines has no treaty with China that would allow Beijing's use of any Philippine civilian or military facilities for their military aircraft.

While the military said that said the stops were nothing unusual, senators said there is a need to clarify the AFP and DND's role in "approving, monitoring, and overseeing the transit, passage, presence, and use of the Philippine facilities by foreign military aircraft."

Part of the resolution also requests an explanation on whether "the approval or acquiescence of the President alone to the presence of foreign military aircraft, troops or naval vessels within the Philippine territory is enough to permit or allow their presence."

Moreover, the senators urged for an investigation into China's growing militarization in the West Philippine Sea.

"There is a need to clarify the role of the DND and the AFP in approving, monitoring, and overseeing the transit, passage, presence, and use of the Philippine facilities by foreign military aircraft," they said. — BM, GMA News