West PH Sea: PH, US, Canada join military drills in EEZ

Militaries from the Philippines, United States, and Canada participated Wednesday in a joint exercise within the Southeast Asian nation's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced the conduct of the 7th Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) in a statement Wednesday, just days after the conduct of the previous exercise involving the Philippines, Australia, and Japan.

According to AFP chief General Romeo Brawner Jr., the Philippines, United States, and Canada joined the 7th MMCA to show "collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific."

The naval and air force units of the participating nations are set to operate together to enhance their cooperation and interoperability, Brawner said.

The AFP deployed BRP Andres Bonifacio, Beechcraft King Air C90 aircraft, and Philippine Air Force Search and Rescue assets, while Canada sent HMCS Ottawa (FFH341).

Meanwhile, the US contributed to the planning and pre-sail conference as well as the monitoring of the activity.

The exercises included Communication Check Exercises (COMMEX), Division Tactics (DIVTACS), Photo Exercise (PHOTOEX), and Expandable Mobile Anti-Submarine Training Target Exercise (EMATTEX).

"The activity will be conducted in a manner consistent with international law and with due regard for the safety of navigation, and the rights and interests of other States," he said.

"This underscores our shared commitments to upholding the right to freedom of navigation and overflight, other lawful uses of the sea and international airspace, as well as respect for maritime rights under international law, as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," he added.

On February 5, the Philippines and the US with Japan and Australia conducted the 6th MMCA within the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to show "a collective commitment to strengthen regional and international cooperation in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific," the AFP said.

Chinese warships were monitored during the joint activity of the four countries in the WPS.

Also on Wednesday, Joint Staff spokesperson Navy Captain Jereal Dorsey said US Joint Chiefs of Staff chairperson General CQ Brown Jr. had a phone call with Brawner to discuss the expansion of joint exercises and the importance of domain awareness in Manila's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Canada's participation in the 7th MMCA came followed Canadian Ambassador David Hartman statements Sunday that the country and the Philippines are in the "final stages of negotiating" a visiting forces agreement that would enable "deeper cooperation and substantive participation in training to build capacity."

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) later announced that Canada and the Philippines are currently negotiating a pact that would further strengthen the two nations' defense capabilities. The DFA said a Status of Visiting Forces Agreement (SOVFA) represents "an important development following the conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding on Defense Cooperation between the Philippines and Canada on January 19, 2024."

Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country’s claim.

The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China has refused to recognize the decision. — VDV/ VAL, GMA Integrated News