Russian submarine at WPS maybe sending message to US, allies —experts 

Experts believe there could be more to the presence of the Russian attack submarine spotted at the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) last week.

According to Sandra Aguinaldo’s report on “24 Oras” on Monday, a former Philippine Navy official doubted why the submarine had to resurface while it waited for the weather to calm down as it claimed. 

“Parang niloloko tayo noong dahilan kasi submarines are not affected by surface weather eh. Ang nakikita ko pang isang puwedeng possibility is meron silang medical emergency or meron silang machinery derangement,” said retired Rear Admiral Rommel Jude Ong, former Navy vice commander. 

(I think they could be fooling us because submarines are not affected by surface weather. But another reason I see for their resurfacing was the possibility of a medical emergency or machinery derangement.) 

The Russian kilo-class, diesel-powered submarine, which was carrying a torpedo and missiles, was spotted 80 nautical miles off the coast of Cape Calavite in Occidental Mindoro last November 28. 

This prompted the Philippine Navy’s BRP Jose Rizal to make a radio challenge on the Russian vessel. The latter replied that it was on its way to its naval base in Vladivostok after coming from a naval exercise in Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia. 

The submarine immediately left in the afternoon. 

While the National Security Council explained earlier that the submarine was actually spotted outside of the country’s territorial waters, there could be a reason it was found at the EEZ.

“Submarines are surfaced when it is being used as a signaling tool. Ibig sabihin, meron kang message na gustong ipahiwatig sa isang specific na target audience [It means you have a message to tell to a specific target audience],” said Ong. 

“Ang most likely na target audience niya would be the United States…Nandito kami, pwede kaming manggulo dito kung gusto namin," he added.

(The United States is most likely its target audience…It’s like they were saying that ‘We are here and we can cause chaos whenever we want’.) 

A security analyst agreed that the message could be meant for the Philippines, the US, and Japan. 

“Alam naman natin ang Ruso at Tsina meron silang…tinatawag nilang strategic alignment. Nagbibigay sila ng suporta sa isa’t-isa lalo na sabi nila, china-challenge nila ‘yung rules-based international order na pinamumunuan ng Estado Unidos at kaniyang mga allies,” said Renato De Castro. 

(We know that Russia and China have a so-called strategic alignment. They support each other and they are challenging the rules-based international order led by the United States and its allies.) 

In July, China said it was conducting joint military drills with Russia in its southern portion. 

Meanwhile, a US official in October accused Russia and China of blocking a proposed consensus statement for the East Asia Summit drafted by Southeast Asian countries, mainly over objections to language on the contested South China Sea. 

Earlier in the day, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. expressed concern over the presence of the Russian attack submarine. 

GMA News Online reached out to the Russian Embassy for comment but it has yet to reply as of posting time. —Vince Ferreras/LDF, GMA Integrated News