The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and United States Coast Guard (USCG) are discussing doable joint patrols within the West Philippine Sea (WPS), PCG spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela mentioned 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 mentioned in an interview on CNN Philippines.
According to him, the plan is in keeping with the liberty of navigation efforts of the US.
He mentioned the joint patrols would achieve cooperation amongst different nations within the area and would profit the vessels which can be passing by way of the world.
Meanwhile, Tarriela mentioned it could embrace laser know-how in its guidelines on use of power after the February 6 laser-pointing incident in Ayungin Shoal involving the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG).
Tarriela mentioned that the inclusion of lasers of their guidelines wants 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 mentioned.
On February 6, a CCG vessel pointed a military-grade laser towards a PCG ship performing a resupply mission for Filipino troops stationed in Ayungin Shoal. The transfer has been described by the Philippines as destabilizing peace and safety within the West Philippine Sea.
The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) has already filed a diplomatic protest concerning the incident.
China, for its half, denied pointing army grade lasers at BRP Malapascua as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin mentioned the Chinese Guard solely used a “hand-held greenlight pointer” to measure the space and velocity of the Philippine vessel.
Meawnhile, Tarriela mentioned the PCG is now eyeing to modernize and enhance its belongings, because the PCG solely has three offshore patrol vessels.
“We have some spaces in WPS that we failed to patrol,” he mentioned. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
