Posted on November 7, 2017
By Francis Wakefield, Manila Bulletin
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has said they will be monitoring the possible arrival of a Chinese dredging vessel in the disputed islands in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) following its launch by the Chinese government.
In a press briefing at the AFP Theater at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City, shortly after the Department of National Defense (DND) 78th founding anniversary celebration, Lorenzana said although they are a bit concern with this development, what they can do right now is to monitor its movement.
“We have reports that they (China) launched their big dredger ano iyung nagdi-dredge. ([But] we don’t know where it is going,” Lorenzana said.
“We are constantly monitoring the movement of this ship,” he added.
The 140-meter-long and 28-meter wide dredging vessel Tian Kun Hao, which is reportedly equipped with an advanced global positioning system or GPS, is able to make artificial islands.
Reports disclosed that the ship with a deck the size of nine basketball courts, has the capability of dredging up to 6,000 cubic meters an hour and can dig as deep as 35 meters under the sea floor.
Earlier, Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano also expressed alarm over the launch of the dredging vessel. He said it “highly suggests [China’s] renewed determination to assert its interests in the South China Sea.”
Lorenzana, in the same interview, said tightened security is always being implemented at Pagasa Island in Palawan, regardless of the activities being conducted by China.
“Ya, we have security there in Pagasa. Meron tayong mga tropa din (We also have troops) and all the islands that we occupy. So we will know immediately kung meron silang mga ginagawa sa mga islands natin (if they are doing anything with our islands).” he said.
“We have our ships going there. We have also our aerial patrol going regularly so we will be able to monitor the movement of this so-called version of the big dredger ship,” he said.
Lorenzana also said they are always in touch with the Chinese, with their embassy here, especially with their defense attaché.
Source: Manila Bulletin
