Category: Foreign Affairs

2 unidentified aircraft spotted in PH airspace in Spratlys

Published by Ellen on July 18, 2011

By Tessa Jamandre
VERA Files

verafiles-boxall-marker-cropped — Boxall marker

An aggressive overflight reconnaissance over the Philippine-claimed isles in the oil-rich Spratlys group of islands in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) had been monitored and reported to the Philippine military shortly after Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario returned from his visit to Beijing.

On July 11, two unidentified aircraft were spotted in the airspace within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone, according to a spot report seen by VERA Files.

Filipino fishermen sighted the aircraft, a gray chopper and a green plane they said resembles a “Tora Tora” or a T-28 fighter plane, flying low at Boxall Reef located 163 nautical miles from the Philippine Navy’s naval station in Ulugan Bay or 97 nautical miles from the southernmost tip of mainland Palawan.

A group of fishermen saw the green plane at 9 a.m. and another group spotted the gray chopper at 10:40 a.m., heading in the same northern direction, the report said.

The Tora Tora-like plane was hovering in the area at an altitude of about 20 feet and the chopper at about 30 feet, it said.
Quoting the fishermen who reported the sighting of the chopper, the military said, “There were more or less five crew on board and wearing green uniform. The small markings on its undercarriage were unreadable.”

No closure without truth about ‘Hello Garci’

Published by Ellen on July 12, 2011

I don’t know if Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano has a hidden agenda in questioning the refusal of Chairman Sixto Brillantes of the Commission on Elections to his call for revival of the investigation on the “Hello Garci” scandal but I see the merits of his proposal because all the anomalies that are now coming out can be traced to Gloria Arroyo’s original sin which was stealing the presidency.

Nothing can be more eloquent than the fiery accusation of Susan Roces, widow of Fernando Poe Jr.: “You stole the presidency not once but twice!”

All that Arroyo could say was, “I am sorry.” To this day, we don’t know what she was sorry about.

FPJ was the second victim of Arroyo’s theft of the people’s mandate. The first was Joseph Estrada, from whom Arroyo grabbed power in 2001 with the help of civil society groups that have since discovered her true colors and have become her critics.

My favorite photo of William and Kate Canada visit

Published by Ellen on July 9, 2011

I’m a fan of Prince William and his wife,Kate Middleton , who is now Duchess of Cambridge.

I follow closely coverage of them. In their recent trip to Canada my favorite image was the one taken during their visit to Yellowknife, the capital and largest city of Canada’s remote Northwest Territories, last July 5.

It was reported that one of the activities the young newlyweds attended was a game of shinny or street hockey. Prince William participated in the game, report said, and it was observed that “his technique was excellent.”

Kate, on the other hand, declined because she was not wearing appropriate shoes. Here’s a cute photo with a cute caption:Here’s a close up of those high heels that prevented Kate from playing “shinny.” Maybe she should have borrowed the slippers.

More photos:

Reality check in the Spratlys

Published by Ellen on July 7, 2011

spratlys pagasa island — PH-occupied Pag-asa island in Kalayaan Island Group

Heaven forbid, but in case there’s a shooting war in the disputed islands of the Spratlys, don’t expect the United States military to come to the aid of the Philippines, South China Sea experts said.

I asked the question if the United States military would enter the picture in case of an armed conflict in the South China Sea in the light of the excitement of some Philippine officials and media over the statement of U.S. State Secretary Hillary and U.S. Ambassador Harry Thomas about continuing to work with the Philippines on all issues including related to the South China Sea conflict and stands by the Philippine “by our commitment under the Mutual Defense Treaty.”

Will Spratlys tension pave the way for US troops in PH?

Published by Ellen on June 30, 2011

Anti-submarine helicopterB — An anti-submarine helicopter on the flight deck of USS Howard, a missile-guided destroyer that participated in the PH-US military exercise

To those who got excited with the statement of United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Ambassador Harry Thomas about supporting the Philippines in the Spratlys issue, read carefully what they said.

Thomas said: “We are allies. We will continue to work with each other in all issues including the South China Sea and Spratlys.” This was at the time when the Philippines was protesting the intrusions of Chinese armed vessels in West Philippine Sea.

Thomas got hearty applause when he repeated that assurance during the launching of the National Renewable Energy Program at the Department of Energy in the presence of President Aquino.

Thomas also said that the US stands “by our commitment under Mutual Defense Treaty.”

PH military eyes SEATO-like deal to lease patrol boats from US

Published by Ellen on June 30, 2011

This story is also posted in www.verafiles.org

USS Chung HoonB — USS Chung Hoon approaching Puerto Princesa Bay to participate in PH-US military exercises

By Tessa Jamandre
VERA Files

Amid renewed tensions in the disputed South China Sea, the Philippine military is batting to revive the concept of an anti-communist collective defense of Southeast Asia to enable the country to enter into a leasing arrangement of patrol boats with the United States.

An operational lease would allow the Philippine Navy to use newer U.S. ships, Navy Vice Commander Rear Admiral Orwen Cortez told a press conference following the opening ceremony of the PH-US Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) in Puerto Princesa on Tuesday.

“We have experience with this during the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) way back in the ‘50s when U.S. ships came to the Philippines, so that was the background and we’re trying to revive that concept,” he said.

Cooling the tempers over Spratlys

Published by Ellen on June 26, 2011

ADR meets Robert Gates — Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates at Pentagon.

With the ongoing positioning by claimant parties in the contested waters of the South China Sea as backdrop, the Foreign Service Institute of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs is holding a two-day conference on the South China Sea that should temper the tension among affected parties.

The conference to be held on July 5 and 6 at the Dusit Hotel in Makati will have as its theme, “The South China Sea: Toward a Region of Peace, Cooperation, and Progress.”

The FSI is partnering with the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam and the National Defense College of the Philippines in this conference that will bring in experts on the South China Sea.

South China Sea issue

Published by Ellen on June 23, 2011

CPR's son, Roberto Romulo, former foreign secretary

By Roberto R. Romulo
Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs

It seems that the situation in the South China Sea is taking a turn for the worse. The increasingly harsh rhetoric is now being backed by a display of muscle. China sent one of its most modern surveillance vessels on a run through the South China Sea from Guangzhou to Singapore. The Philippines sent its largest – and apparently only – warship, a WWII vintage destroyer, on patrol through waters it now calls the West Philippine Sea. Vietnam and China have each conducted live-fire exercises while the U.S. and ASEAN navies have just completed their annual joint naval exercise. This war of words and saber-rattling, if not handled properly, can lead to a situation that would complicate and even make it impossible for a diplomatic solution to be reached.

(With these developments, now I am terrified at the prospect at having him (Domingo Lee) represent our interest during these crucial times. I do not mean to denigrate the nominee’s intellect or age. I just think his abilities and past experience are not suited for this particular post)

JDV and GMA should answer for selling out the country to China

Published by Ellen on June 16, 2011

Update:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110616/ap_on_re_as/as_china_south_china_sea
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/15750/china-to-boost-maritime-patrols-as-disputes-mount

PH also deployed largest patrol ship to Spratlys area on a ‘routine patrol’ -ABS-CBN

jdv and gma — The two 'forces' behind the JMSU that sold out PH sovereignty to China.

You just have to give credit to former House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr for never giving up on an idea which he thinks is bright, no matter how disadvantageous it is to the Filipino people.

In the midst of rising tension between the Philippines and China over the former’s series of armed intrusions on West Philippine Sea the past five months, he urged President Aquino Wednesday to revive, the Joint Marine Seismic Undertaking.

The brainchild of De Venecia, the JMSU which was signed in March 2005, opened the exploration of large portion of West Philippine Sea jointly with initially China and later on, with Vietnam. The first phase which ended in 2007 was to find out the amount of oil and other mineral resources in that area. The second phase didn’t push through because of questions of the constitutionality of the tripartite agreement.

The Philippine Constitution provides that”The exploration, development, and utilization of natural resources shall be under the full control and supervision of the State.”

Aquino’s choice as envoy to China is a member of Taiwan’s Kuomintang Party

Published by Ellen on June 5, 2011

Click here Lee’s koumintang membership : China expert Aileen Baviera mentioned Lee’s Koumintang membership in her book.

It’s not too late for President Aquino to recall the appointment of Domingo Y. Lee as ambassador to the People’s Republic of China.

Lee’s Taiwan connection is so well-entrenched, it will complicate further the Philippine’s delicate relations with one of the world’s superpowers.

A reliable source in the Chinese community said he knows that Lee, in his 70’s “is a card-carrying member of the Kuomintang.” He said he is not sure if he has resigned but what he understood of the party affiliation is that it’s a “lifetime commitment.”