PH, US Coast Guards in talks for joint patrols in WPS

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and United States Coast Guard (USCG) are discussing possible joint patrols in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), PCG spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela said Monday.

“For the Philippine Coast Guard and the United States Coast Guard, there are also ongoing talks now about a possibility of joining the US Coast Guard in a joint patrol in WPS,” he said in an interview on CNN Philippines.

According to him, the plan is in line with the freedom of navigation efforts of the US.

He said the joint patrols would gain cooperation among other countries in the region and would benefit the vessels that are passing through the area.

Meanwhile, Tarriela said it would include laser technology in its rules on use of force after the February 6 laser-pointing incident in Ayungin Shoal involving the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG).

Tarriela said that the inclusion of lasers in their rules needs the approval first of the National Task Force WPS (NTF-WPS).

“For the PCG, we are currently including the use of laser technology in our rules on the use of force. But again, our rules on the use of force has to be approved by the NTF-WPS,” he said.

On February 6, a CCG vessel pointed a military-grade laser against a PCG ship performing a resupply mission for Filipino troops stationed in Ayungin Shoal. The move has been described by the Philippines as destabilizing peace and security in the West Philippine Sea. 

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has already filed a diplomatic protest regarding the incident.

China, for its part, denied pointing military grade lasers at BRP Malapascua as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said the Chinese Guard only used a "hand-held greenlight pointer" to measure the distance and speed of the Philippine vessel.

Meawnhile, Tarriela said the PCG is now eyeing to modernize and increase its assets, as the PCG only has three offshore patrol vessels.

“We have some spaces in WPS that we failed to patrol,” he said. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA Integrated News