Legal and security experts are urging the Philippine government to do a joint patrol with like-minded allies in its next resupply mission to
the BRP Sierra Madre at the Ayungin Shoal.
Former Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio said the Philippines can follow the examples of Malaysia and Indonesia, which continued
their survey and naval drills in their EEZ in the South China Sea, together with the United States and Australia, despite warnings from
the Chinese Coast Guard.
“We can have joint patrols with the US at the same time [in the next resupply mission to the Ayungin Shoal]. We can calibrate it. Remember,
Malaysia and Indonesia were able to survey and drill despite warnings from the Chinese Coast Guard that the area falls within the nine-dash line… They sent their Navy together with the survey ship and the drilling ship, and, at the same time, the US and Australia conducted
naval drills in the same area, that’s for Malaysia. For Indonesia, the US aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan happened to pass by,” Carpio
explained.
“The Americans are there. They did the favor to the Malaysians and Indonesians without a defense treaty. And the Australians also did the
same to Malaysia. Why are they doing this? Because they want to preserve freedom of navigation… We can do all these things. It’s up to
us if we have the political will,” he added.
Carpio made the statement during a forum on Thursday organized by the Stratbase ADR Institute, in partnership with the United States
Institute of Peace. Philippine government officials and local and foreign experts attended the forum and discussed various issues
including the current security environment in the West Philippines.
The former SC Justice said the Ayungin Shoal, where the BRP Sierra Madre is aground in the West Philippine Sea, is one of the flashpoints
in the Philippines-China relationship. “Ayungin Shoal is about 20 nautical miles from Mischief Reef.
The arbitral tribunal ruled that Mischief Reef is a low-tide feature forming part of the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines.
Despite this, China illegally reclaimed Mischief Reef and converted it into the largest air and naval base of China in the Spratlys.
Because of Ayungin Shoal’s proximity to Mischief Reef, China wants to seize Ayungin Shoal from the Philippines” Carpio explained.
Similarly, Stratbase President Professor DIndo Manhit urged the Philippine government to maximize joint patrols and have like-minded allies shepherd Philippine vessels in its next resupply mission.
“As our military outpost, we should not be deterred from sending supplies, from improving that facility [BRP Sierra Madre]. What’s
happening now, they [China] are stopping us from moving forward.
Our supply ships should really push through… This is where we can maximize joint patrols and be shepherded by allies and friends during the resupply. Not to cause war but simply to exercise our own rights based on international law. Our military facility is within our Exclusive
Economic Zone,” Manhit explained.
“The stronger statement by our President is really welcome and now we hope it turns into stronger actions and generate enough support and alliance from partners. I’ve always believed that to ensure stability, you need to bring people together to define and protect what is our
Philippine EEZ,” he added.
Moreover, former United States Air Force official and security expert Col. Raymond Powell said that one of the leverages the Philippines can
use against dealing with an “extremely large and aggressive country like China” is its partnerships with like-minded allies.
Powell, also a fellow at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford University in the United States, said the
Ayungin Shoal, including the BRP Sierra Madre, is the most vulnerable outpost in the entire South China Sea and needs to be reinforced.
“It’s vulnerable not just because of how few people are there and their inability to defend themselves but the fact that their outpost is deteriorating and will ultimately succumb to time and the weather and the elements.
That will happen unless the Philippines, with its US allies, are able to come up with some other solution to repairing or replacing, somehow lifting, circumventing, and defeating the ongoing Chinese blockade,” Powell explained.