See Who's Talking!

China Label Philippines as 'Regional Troublemaker'

Aside from its forward naval station in full operations at the Philippine-owned Panganiban Reef, China with its frigates and surveillance ships, is busy reclaiming shoals and reefs they have started occupying in the region to advance its territorial claim over the area. 

On July 13, 2012 the warship Jianghu-class frigate had run aground on a reef of Palawan. The said frigate was dispatch to patrol and discouraged Filipino fishing boats from the area. Lt. Col. Neil Estrella Western Command spokeperson during that time said, " that the military was prepared to provide assistance to the stricken Chinese vessel because any ship or naval vessel in distress, we are duty-bound to provide assistance, regardless of whether or not they intruded into our territorial waters.” Inspite of china's belligerent attitude toward Filipino fisherman our government express their concerns and kindness to all Chinese crew of the Jianghu warship which was stuck on the Philippine reef and in return China call us troublemaker. 

BRP Sierra Madre (USS Harnett County LST-821)

Last year July 1, 2013 Chinese news (Xinhua) analyst calls Philippine as a 'Troublemaker'.
"The Philippines, under its current administration, has been a true troublemaker in the region," Lu Yu said, complaining that the country has "assaulted and detained" Chinese fishermen and had an old warship "stranded on purpose" at Ren'ai Reef or the Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.

The Ayungin Shoal which Lu Yu pertaining about is a reef within the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Philippines base on United Nation Convention of the Law of the Sea over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including energy production from water and wind. It stretches from the baseline out to 200 nautical miles from its coast. In colloquial usage, the term may include the continental shelf and the old warship which she referring was a USS Harnett County (LST-821) a landing ship utilized during World War II and during Vietnam War, she was transferred to South Vietnam's Republic of Vietnam Navy which named her RVNS My Tho (HQ-800). After the Vietnam War the US government reassigned Harnett County to the Philippine Navy which named her BRP Sierra Madre (LT-57).



The USS Harnett County was an LST for the United States in WWII, and served again during Vietnam.  The ship was given to the Phillipines in 1976, wherein its designation was changed to the BRP Sierra Madre. The reason the ship is still officially commissioned and manned is because an attack against it would be tantamount to war between the PRC and the Philippines and the Philippines' non-NATO ally the United States.

"The destinies of two great empires seem to be tied by some god-damned things called LST's"

-Winston Churchill

 In 1999 the Philippine government deliberately had her run aground on Ayungin Reef (Second Thomas Shoal) in the Spratly Islands to serve as an outpost of the Philippine Marine Corps to assert Philippine sovereignty in the country's dispute with China over the ownership of the Spratly Islands. The Chinese fisherman assulted and detained according to Lu Yu was apprehended for poaching in the said Philippine territory contrary to Lu statement the Chinese National were humanely treated by local authorities. The Philippine peoples are not only protecting its sovereignty but also all endangered species and natural resources and in return we are been accused by China as a troublemaker in the region.

 

Last  March 2014 another incidence of harrashment was reported when China Government sent their Coast Guard and war ship to West Philippine Sea.  The said ships start to block off  and firing water canon on all Philippine fishing boat and other ships including the Philippine Navy AM700. The AM700 is a Philippine Navy vessel who carried supplies and troops to replace their fellow marines in BRP Sierra Madre. Inspite of the intimidation and provocative acts, the Philippine government did not retaliate but choose to seek peaceful solution by submitting a memorial to the arbitral tribunal of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. China reacted to this and label us as a troublemaker.

Last tuesday May 6, 2014 another provocative act was made by chinese fisherman in the disputed Philippine reef. The PNP Maritime police seized a chinese fishing vessel found carrying sea turtles off Hasa-Hasa Shoal (Half Moon Shoal) and arrested its 11 crewmembers while shipping 400 live turtles aboard the boat. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) had said the arrest was an exercise of the Philippines’ sovereignty over its exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the West Philippine Sea. China got angry and asked our government to return the boat and free its crew or else.... What? are they going to tell us again that we are a real troublemaker?

Pictures of the apprehended foreign vessel for possession of endangered wildlife species at the vicinity of Half-Moon Shoal, West Philippine Sea, Palawan last Tuesday (May 6, 2014).

May 09, 2014

Valenzuela City Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian excoriated China’s reported use of jamming equipment in Ayungin Shoal. It was discovered when two hovering planes of the AFP were forced to navigated on their own after their communications equipment jam while doing a patrol on the disputed area on May 3, 2014.

He said "the move to use jamming equipment could violate civilians’ right to life, liberty and security, as well as the right to freedom of movement as enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights."

He also added that "China’s resort to jamming devices imperils the lives of civilians aboard private and commercial planes and ships because it affects the transmission of information crucial for navigation. It also breaches the right of people to travel. China, as a member of the United Nations and more so as a member of the UN Security Council, should learn to respect the rights of people to life, liberty, security and movement as guaranteed by the Declaration,”.