Palace: US spy planes just like Google Earth

(UPDATED) MANILA, Philippines — Why should China worry about the spy planes that the Philippines could request from the United States to monitor the disputed Scarborough Shoal?

It's just like Google Earth that takes aerial photos and surveys the world, said Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang in a press briefing Tuesday, July 3. “Nobody thinks that if Google Earth lies over Luzon or Scarborough, then that's going to be a provocation,” Carandang said.

On Monday, July 2, President Benigno Aquino III said the government could request the US government for P3C Orion spy planes to monitor possible Chinese territorial incursions in Scarborough Shoal. (Read: PH may ask US for air surveillance.)

The possible US overflights over Scarborough Shoal will have no military component involved, Carandang explained.

“If they happen at all... they are not meant to be provocative. They are merely meant to monitor our territory. There's no offensive capability here,” he said.

A reporter pointed out that P3C Orion is a military plane. Carandang, however, still downplayed the aircraft's capabilities. “We don't believe there's an issue there.”

'Frontline aircraft'

The US Navy describes the P3C Orion as its “frontline, land-based maritime patrol aircraft since the early 1960s.”

Its primary functions include anti-submarine warfare and anti-surface warfare.

“The P3C's mission has to include surveillance of the battle space, either at sea or over land. Its long-range and long loiter time have proved invaluable assets throughout the overseas contingency operation,” the US Navy says on its website.

The US Navy adds P3C Orion includes the following features:

• advanced submarine detection sensors
  
• magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) equipment that can carry a mixed payload of weapons internally and on wing pylons
  
• Armament such as AGM-84 Harpoon, AGM-84K SLAM-ER, AGM-65F Maverick missiles, Mk46/50/54 torpedoes, rockets, mines, and depth bombs.
  

China has consistently shown agitation over US involvement in South China Sea issues. (Read: The trust factor in US-China relations.)

In a press briefing Tuesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Weimin said the Philippines should promote peace in the Asia-Pacific, reacting to Aquino's statement about the US spy planes. "We hope the relevant party will do more things that are conducive to regional peace and stability," Liu said. 

'Deescalating' situation

Carandang, however, said the Philippines is “bending over in order to try to deescalate the situation.”

In another press briefing, Foreign Affairs spokesperson Raul Hernandez said the possible request for spy planes is unlikely to worsen the two-month tension between the Philippines and China. "We're just monitoring what's happening in our areas, in our territory, in our (exclusive economic zone). And that's part of the prerogative of our country,” Hernandez said.

He said the US, in the first place, has been helping the Philippines build a "minimum credible defense posture." "Surveillance, reconnaissance, as well as intelligence gathering are part of this assistance," Hernandez explained. 

On Thursday, July 5, the President will discuss Philippine-China relations in a meeting with his Cabinet.

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Paterno Esmaquel II | Rappler.Com | July 3, 2012 | Article Link

Philippines wants US spy plane help in China dispute

MANILA (Reuters) - Philippine President Benigno Aquino said on Monday he may ask the United States to deploy spy planes in the South China Sea to help monitor the disputed waters, a move that may reignite tension with its giant neighbour China.

"We might be requesting overflights on that," Aquino told Reuters in an interview, referring to U.S. P3C Orion spy planes. "We don't have aircraft with those capabilities."

Last month, Aquino pulled out a lightly armed coast guard ship and a fisheries boat due to bad weather around a group of rock formations about 140 miles (225 km) we st of the main Philippine island of Luzon, ending a two-month standoff between the two sides.

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Stuart Grudgings | Reuters | July 2,2012 | Article Link

Speech of President Aquino during the anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence, June 12, 2012

Speech
of
His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III
President of the Philippines
During the 114th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence

 [English translation of the speech delivered at Barasoain Church, Malolos, Bulacan on June 12, 2012]

A year ago, we gathered in Kawit, Cavite, on General Emilio Aguinaldo’s balcony, where our flag was first unfurled and waved. It was there where our national anthem, the Lupang Hinirang, was first played—its rhythm matching the pulsating hearts of Philippine revolutionaries, who were finally freed from the shackles of foreign rule. There, the Philippines claimed its right to be a free and independent nation.

This morning, we commemorate the 114^th year of the proclamation of our independence in Barasoain Church—the cradle of our Constitution. It was here where the representatives of different provinces came together to decide on how best to care for and nourish the hard-won freedom they had fought so hard for. It was here where Congress established the First Republic of the Philippines; here too where the Constitution of Malolos, the first Constitution of a Republic in Asia, was ratified and promulgated. It was here where our forebears decided to take the future of our country into their own hands, and show the world that the Philippines is for Filipinos.

Even in those days, our predecessors were well aware of the principle that keeps our democracy alive: that true power emanates from and belongs to the Filipino people, and that it must necessarily be used for their benefit. They chose representatives not to rule, or to reign supreme, but to guide our country to the right direction, and to serve the common citizen.

When those 70 representatives from different provinces journeyed to Malolos, they brought with them the aspirations of their provinces, and the dreams of our nation. They put these ahead of personal interest. They carried on their shoulders the obligation of codifying the rules the populace had agreed to, the rules that would guide how they would live and relate to others in manner that was proper, fair, and just.

These representatives did not let us down. They laid down a Constitution that acted as a wellspring of justice, that protected and upheld the common good, and that ensured equal rights for all.

And it was our Constitution on which I relied heavily, back when I was starting my term as a representative of Tarlac. I became familiar with it, often reading, studying, and analyzing its provisions. It set for me guidelines I knew I had to follow as a Filipino citizen, and more importantly, it showed me how I could best fulfill my responsibilities as a public servant.

There were times when I could not help but be dismayed, because even after the ratifications our Constitution underwent in 1935 and 1987, it seemed as if there were no shortage of those who sought to discover loopholes to further their own selfish interests. There were some officials who blatantly violated the law, and just as blatantly escaped accountability. The Constitution that was meant to be the refuge of the common citizen became a plaything in the hands of those who wielded power with impunity. They acted as if they held the blindfold of justice in their hands, as if they were licensed to amend, reduce, change, and distort our Constitution.

The whole country bore witness to the impeachment trial of Mr. Corona, the former Chief Justice. This was a process that took five months. And it was a process that strengthened our democracy. After all, Filipinos have the right to know the truth, and the right to know that the democratic system is alive and working in the Philippines. It was a process that once again underscored to all public servants that the power lent to them by Juan dela Cruz comes with responsibilities, and accountability.

Perhaps it may be that corruption became widespread not only because the numbers of the power-hungry grew, but also because the numbers of the apathetic and the silent grew. And so the beacon of democracy went dim, because no one took the initiative to nurture its flame.

Now that our nation has gathered momentum along the straight and righteous path, we will not allow ourselves to lose our way in the darkness of the past. The Constitution states that it is from the people that our country draws its strength. So it is only just that they are the ones who benefit from the fruits of our endeavors. This is why all the reforms we institute—from the jobs we are able to give our countrymen, to our thrust to ensure justice for all; from the reconstruction of our social systems, to the responsible allotment of our funds—mirrors the principle that was strengthened in this very church in 1898.

Next year, we will celebrate the proclamation of our independence in Pinaglabanan. And we have laid out plans to celebrate it in the Visayas, and after that, in Mindanao. Why do we hold our yearly celebrations in these historical places? We do this so we can emphasize that we did not just gain our freedom in Kawit, or in Malolos, or in Luzon alone. It is only fitting that each Filipino—from those in the most secluded mountainsides, to the farthest islands, and those seeking their future on other shores—feels that what we commemorate on the 12^th of June is a nationwide celebration; that its spirit is what fuels our desire to be free.

True democracy for all Filipinos: this is the essence of our Constitution; this is the lifeblood of our free State. Cognizant of the mandate enshrined in our Constitution, we will not allow it to be infected, sullied or used by anyone who seeks only to best his fellow men, or wallow in power.

This is what Barasoain Church reminds us of. In 1898, our ancestors gathered here in Malolos to uphold and strengthen our Republic. This was what took place in 1986, in EDSA, when we uprooted a dictatorship. And this too was what took place during the 2010 elections, which paved the way for our reforms. History’s blessings teach us: we will only achieve true freedom when each of us is ready for his soles to be callused, when each of us is ready to give his blood and sweat for our country. With heads held high, we will forge on towards a Philippines free not only from the clutches of foreign oppression, but also and more importantly, from corruption, hunger and injustice. Let us dismantle the bars of selfishness and disunity; let us break free from the culture of finger-pointing and indifference. This is the meaning of true freedom.

Thank you, and good day.

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Official Gazette | June 12, 2012 | Article Link

Clinton: US to help build Philippine Coast Watch Center

MANILA, Philippines - The United States will help build a new National Coast Watch Center in the Philippines amid Manila's ongoing dispute with Beijing over ownership of Scarborough Shoal, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Friday (early Saturday morning in Manila).

Clinton made the announcement in a lunch she hosted at the US Department of State's Benjamin Franklin Dining Room for Philippine President Benigno Aquino, who is in Washington, D.C. in an official state visit.

She mentioned the Mutual Defense Treaty between the United States and the Philippines, adding that American military special forces have been working side by side with their Filipino counterparts.

"We are also working closely together to increase information and intelligence exchanges and coordination on maritime domain issues," she said. 

"And in this context, I'm pleased to announce today that the United States will support the construction, outfitting, and training of a new National Coast Watch Center in the Philippines," she added.

Clinton said that as allies, Washington and Manila consult on on important regional issues and cited the South China Sea issue. 

She said that while the US does not take a position on the competing territorial claims in the region, it has "a clear interest in the maintenance of peace and stability, freedom of navigation, respect for international law, and unimpeded lawful commerce in the South China Sea."

Clinton praised the Aquino government's initial steps to defuse tensions surrounding Scarborough shoal. 

"We encourage continued diplomatic dialogue and further efforts to lessen tension, to disengage, and to resolve the situation peacefully," she said. "The United States has been consistent in that we oppose the use of force or coercion by any claimant to advance its claims, and we will continue to monitor the situation closely."

She also urged China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to reach consensus on a code of conduct for the South China Sea.

Clinton, during her speech, also announced the signing of a new agreement with Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario.

She said the agreement will spur joint US-Philippine efforts on science and technology.

"When our scientists share their ideas and their resources, not only do our two countries but the world reaps the benefits," she said. 

Clinton also said the US will also increase the number of its Peace Corps volunteers in the Philippines. 

"President Aquino first came to the United States over 30 years ago to seek asylum with his family as political turmoil ravaged his country. Today, I welcome him here to reaffirm our shared future based on mutual respect and interests, our common democratic values, new partnerships, and the bonds between our peoples," Clinton said.

Aquino, meanwhile, hailed the partnership between the two nations.

"We are clearly at a new juncture in our relations while we both remained grounded in our history and in the democratic principles and values we both hold, our success is also about what we can do together: to build a more stable region and to achieve an even more prosperous future for both our peoples," he said.

"That we are here now signifies our desire to further accelerate the achievement of these goals. I see a very rewarding future ahead of us as we worked on the different elements that comprise our partnership, such as our ties in defense and security, in our economies and amongst our peoples," Aquino added. 

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Jojo Malig | ABS-CBNnews.com | June 9, 2012 | Article Link

Aquino secures US pledge for Philippine defense upgrade

WASHINGTON - The United States pledged Thursday to help the Philippines step up its defenses in the face of a rising China as it welcomes President Benigno Aquino III, seen by US officials as a promising partner.

President Barack Obama will meet Friday at the White House with Aquino, who has raised the profile of the Philippines in Washington through his pledges to tackle corruption and to boost the military relationship with the United States.

Top US military officer General Martin Dempsey, who met Aquino on Monday in Manila, said that he spoke about expanding cooperation with the former US colony beyond recent efforts focused on fighting Islamic insurgents.

The Philippines "has been inward-focused on its internal terrorism and insurgent issues for some time - for decades really - and so have a very limited capability to project power or to influence activities around it," said Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

"We think that they need some of that, particularly in maritime security," Dempsey told reporters in Washington.

The United States has already been helping to upgrade the notoriously antiquated Philippine military and Aquino has agreed to let a greater number of US troops rotate - but not set up bases - in the archipelago.

The cooperation comes as the Philippines sees particularly tense relations with China, which has butted heads with a number of its neighbors in recent years over territorial disputes in strategic waters.

Friction escalated in April when Chinese and Philippine vessels approached the Scarborough Shoal, which lies near the main Philippine island of Luzon. Manila says the rock formation falls within its exclusive economic zone, but China claims the shoal along with nearly all of the South China Sea.

Dempsey said he spoke with Aquino about the need to "ensure freedom of navigation" in the South China Sea.

Dempsey said that he and Aquino did not discuss the disputes in themselves but "we certainly called on all claimants to resolve these issues through existing international fora and without coercion."

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Agence France-Presse/InterAksyon.Com | June 8,2012 | Article Link