Navy eyes detachment on Fuga Island

The Philippine Navy is planning to put up a detachment in Fuga Island, one of the strategic islands of the Philippines that Chinese investors are reportedly planning to develop into economic hubs, its chief confirmed on Wednesday.

"We're working na magkaroon din tayo ng detachment sa ano, sa mga strategic [islands] because the Fuga is... very important, very strategic kasi ang location niya," Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad said at a press conference.

Empedrad said since the location of Fuga Island is very strategic, it is necessary to monitor the vessels passing through it.

"Kung meron tayong mae-establish na stations, so that the Navy can monitor all vessels passing through that sea lines of communications," Empedrad said.

"At saka daanan kasi ng mga submarines 'yan eh, so kailangang mabantayan din natin na ano, now that we have antisubmarine capability," he added.

Empedrad said the Navy is engaging Cagayan Economic Zone Authority with the plan to establish Navy attachment in Fuga Island.

Aside from Fuga Island, Chinese investors also want to develop the islands of Grande and Chiquita.

According to the Navy, Fuga, which is an island north of Luzon and part of the Babuyan Archipelago, houses telecommunications cables while the islands of Grande and Chiquita, which are located at the mouth of Subic Bay, were previously used as a "defense perimeter of Americans" in the 1990s.

The Navy earlier expressed concern with the plan to develop these three islands, noting that the security and maritime implications of these areas should be considered. —KBK, GMA News