Defense chief Gazmin: China committed fresh 'violations' over West Philippine Sea

Published September 3, 2013 11:34am

(Updated 4:28 p.m.) China has committed fresh "violations" over the disputed West Philippine Sea, Defense chief Voltaire Gazmin said.

But Gazmin refused to elaborate, saying the matter still has to go through proper channels.

“May mga bagong ... we do not want to preempt the information but it has to go through channels yet, meron... silang panibagong violations,” Gazmin told reporters Monday afternoon.

Asked when the violations were committed, the Philippine defense chief said it was “very recent.” Gazmin expects the information on the violations to come out “maybe [Monday] tonight or tomorrow [Tuesday].”

He said he is still waiting for the document for the filing of a diplomatic protest.

“Kailangan nating i-file muna bago natin ipakita ... I'm still waiting for the document,” Gazmin said.

Concrete blocks

In a phone interview with reporters Tuesday, DND spokesman Peter Paul Galvez said the Philippine Navy patrolling the area found on Saturday some 30 concrete blocks measuring around two feet by two feet in the northern portion of Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

“Blocks lang to e, so parang hinulog lang to, may mga nilagay dun na blocks. Kumbaga parang prefab, concrete block parang ganun,” Galvez said.

He added that three Chinese Coast Guard vessels were seen in the area.

Asked what is the purpose of the blocks, Galvez said: “It's hard to speculate yung what it can be used for, pero syempre these are concrete blocks that can be (used) as parang foundation to something.”

He said it is unfortunate that China “keeps on doing activities that do not contribute to our pursuit towards regional peace.”

When asked if a diplomatic protest will be filed, Galvez said the matter has been forwarded to the Department of Foreign Affairs for appropriate action.

He also said that China's action could be a violation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.

There is long-running territorial conflict between the two countries over the waters in the West Philippine Sea, which China claims as part of the South China Sea.

Conflict in the area has reignited in recent years with tense confrontations between Chinese and Philippine vessels in two disputed shoals—Scarborough (Panatag) and Ayungin—off Manila’s western coasts.

Last year, a standoff erupted when Philippine military forces spotted Chinese fishermen taking marine species from the area. But before a crew from a Philippine Navy ship could make arrests, Chinese ships blocked the vessel’s path

China trade fair

President Benigno Aquino III was supposed to attend a trade fair in Nanning, China, where the Philippines is this year’s country of honor but he canceled it due to an “unusual request' from China.

Foreign Affairs spokesman Raul Hernandez declined to say what the conditions were “to avoid embarrassment to the Chinese side.”

But sources at the DFA who asked not to be named told GMA News Online that the Chinese government relayed the message that it will only receive Aquino if the Philippines withdraws the case it filed against China before an international tribunal, and pulls out its grounded vessel and stationed troops in Ayungin Shoal.

The Chinese government, the same sources added, gave Manila until Aug. 27 to comply with these conditions. — Amita Legaspi/RSJ, GMA News

Tags: voltairegazmin, southchinasea, westphilippinesea