Russian attack submarine spotted outside of PH territorial waters — NSC

The Russian attack submarine was actually spotted outside of the Philippines’ territorial waters, the National Security Council (NSC) clarified on Monday.

NSC assistant director general Jonathan Malaya noted that the submarine was found at the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) at some 80 nautical miles off the coast of Occidental Mindoro last November 28.

“Let me just emphasize na ito pong parte kung saan siya namataan ay hindi siya territorial sea ng Pilipinas. Nasa high seas siya, nasa exclusive economic zone. Technically, the Russian ship is exercising freedom of navigation,” said Malaya during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon forum.

(Let me just emphasize that the part where it was found is not a territorial sea of the Philippines. It was in the high seas, in the exclusive economic zone. Technically, the Russian ship is exercising freedom of navigation.)

According to the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the EEZ and territorial sea differ from each other.

The law provides that the Philippines exercises full sovereignty over its territorial sea and the airspace above it. Meanwhile, the country exercises its sovereignty over the EEZ for the purpose of exploring and exploiting the natural resources within the zone.

“Kung exclusive economic zone, ang karapatan natin diyan is more of economic, yung natural resources. Part pa rin ‘yan ng high seas. Kaya kahit sinong barko ay pwedeng dumaan so long as hindi siya naglo-loiter or kumukuha ng resources,” Malaya explained.

(If we talk about the exclusive economic zone, our rights over there is more on the economic and the natural resources in it. Part of the high seas. So any ships can pass through it so long as it does not loiter around or get resources from there.)

‘Worrisome’

Earlier in the day, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. expressed concern over the Russian attack submarine (UFA 490) that was spotted in the West Philippine Sea last week.

"That's very concerning. Any intrusion into the West Philippine Sea, of our EEZ, of our baselines is very worrisome. Yes it's just another one," Marcos told reporters.

Marcos said he would let the Philippine military discuss the matter.

The Philippine Navy said its vessel, BRP Jose Rizal, made a radio challenge to the Russian submarine where the latter said it was just waiting for the weather to improve before going back to its naval base in Vladivostok.

The NSC said that the submarine came from an exercise with the Malaysian Navy in Kota Kinabalu.

“We challenged the attack submarine kung ano ang ginagawa niya sa ating exclusive economic zone. At sumagot ito, nagpakilala siya…sabi niya galing siya sa exercises, with the Royal Malaysian Navy sa Kota Kinabalu, sa Malaysia. And on the way na siya pabalik siya sa kanyang naval base sa Vladivostok,” said Malaya.

(We challenged the attack submarine on what it was doing at our exclusive economic zone. They replied and told us that they came from an exercise with the Royal Malaysian Navy in Kota Kinabalu. They also told us that they were already on their way back to their naval base in Vladivostok.)

The Russian submarine eventually left in the afternoon, the NSC said. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News