PCG spokesman: Disheartening to hear doubts cast on Coast Guard capabilities | ABS-CBN

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PCG spokesman: Disheartening to hear doubts cast on Coast Guard capabilities

PCG spokesman: Disheartening to hear doubts cast on Coast Guard capabilities

ABS-CBN News

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Updated Sep 14, 2023 08:16 AM PHT

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Personnel of the US Coast Guard join a search and rescue exercise in the West Philippine Sea on September 3, 2022. Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News
Personnel of the US Coast Guard join a search and rescue exercise in the West Philippine Sea on September 3, 2022. Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News

A spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday said he is disheartened to hear people doubt the PCG's capability to protect Philippine waters without the help of the US.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said he wholeheartedly stands by "the Commandant and the 30,000 courageous men and women of the Philippine Coast Guard, who are dedicated to fulfilling our patriotic duty in the West Philippine Sea."

"We will continue to serve and protect our Exclusive Economic Zone, irrespective of any external assistance. It is disheartening to hear doubts cast on our capabilities to carry out this duty without the support of other external actors," he added.

Sen. Robinhood Padilla earlier questioned the presence of a US Navy aircraft during a military resupply mission in Ayungin Shoal last September 8, saying the presence of US forces could heighten tensions.

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Military officials have said the P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane was monitoring the resupply mission, which the Chinese Coast Guard had tried to block.

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Padilla also warned the Philippines could be dragged in a "proxy war" between the US and China.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro, however, pointed out the US is a treaty ally and that talk of a proxy war is “the other side’s propaganda."

"Proxy war ba ito e tayo ang...kinubkob...Scarborough Shoal, number one. Water cannoning. I mean, how can you say it's a proxy war. If it's a proxy war, e di tirahin nila yung kalaban nila sa proxy. Wag tayo," he told reporters.

In his statement, Tarriela pointed out President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. "has already made it clear that we will work with all countries to establish a rules-based international order."

"The disputes in the South China Sea should not be framed solely as a competition between powerful nations, as this denies us our independence and disregards our legitimate interests," he added.

Sen. Padilla earlier said the PCG must be given a bigger budget in 2024 so it would not be "forced to depend" on US assistance.

"Sa ngayon, masyado tayong umaasa sa tulong ng Amerikano... Sana mabigyan natin ng pansin madagdagan ng budget ang Coast Guard, para sila talaga ang bida," Padilla said.

DOMAIN AWARENESS

In a separate interview, Professor Jay Batongbacal, the Director of the Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, said the presence of the the P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane in Ayungin Shoal was likely coordinated with the Philippine military since the US is a treaty ally.

He said the deployment of the aircraft was for domain awareness or situational awareness "to find out what is happening to be able to make decisions when needed."

All data and information collected during the mission would likely be shared with Philippine military officials, he said.

Similar aircraft from the US and Australia were also deployed during the five-month long siege of Islamic State-inspired terrorists in Marawi last 2017.

Batongbacal said he does not agree with Padilla's assessment that the deployment of the reconnaissance plane is heightening tensions with China.

"Hindi ako agree sa ganung klaseng pananalita. In the first place po, hindi 'yung presence ng eroplano ang nagdadala ng tensyon kasi malayo siya. Umiikot lang siya. Kung magkakaroon ng banggaan sa tubig, hindi naman magla-landing ang eroplano para mag intervene," he said in a TeleRadyo Serbisyo interview.

"Ang tensyon ay nanggagaling sa China kasi sila 'yung naghaharang. Sila 'yung nagpupumilit na patalsikin tayo sa Ayungin. At nitong nakaraang 6 na taon, sila talaga lagi ang nag e-escalate ng situation."

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KMU’s Adonis woos voters despite few resources, ‘shrinking’ space for progressives

KMU’s Adonis woos voters despite few resources, ‘shrinking’ space for progressives

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

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Kilusang Mayo Uno handout photo shows supporters putting up campaign streamers in Quezon City

MANILA — Progressive candidates have to contend with having fewer and smaller spaces to campaign in than traditional bets, labor leader Jerome Adonis said Sunday as he joined a motorcade in Quezon City to woo voters for the Makabayan coalition’s 11-person slate.

Adonis, Kilusang Mayo Uno’s secretary general and Makabayan senatorial candidate, distributed flyers and some posters to some residents along Balintawak on EDSA before the motorcade headed to Novaliches. 

His supporters, wearing red, also gave flyers to those they encountered along the way.  

“Kapag sikat, any place, available sa kanila. Pero sa mga Makabayan, lalong-lalo na kilala kami sa pagiging kritikal sa gobyerno, medyo sumisikip,” he said.

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(Any place is available to those who are famous or influential. But for Makabayan, especially since we are known to be critical of government, space is a little tight)

He added: “Ultimo sa mga places ng pangangampanya ay lumiliit (Even the places for us to campaign are shrinking).”

Adonis said the motorcade will make stops at places where crowds gather so he and his team can meet people and discuss everyday issues like high prices and low wages.

“Ito lang ang means namin sa pangangampanya dahil hindi namin kayang sumabay sa mga mayayaman na political dynasty… Sa amin, importante na makausap at makadaupang palad ang ating mga kababayan,” he said.

(This is our only means to campaign because we cannot compete with the rich political dynasties… What is important to us is that we get to talk to and shake the hands of our fellow Filipinos)

Adonis vowed to continue fighting for labor rights, removal of contractual work in the private sector, and an increase in the daily minimum wage to P1,200 should he be elected senator.

He also promised to work to bring down food prices.

Among those who led the motorcade for the senatorial candidate earlier this morning include workers from the Nagkakaisang Samahan ng Manggagawa sa Regan-ADLO-KMU and the Samahan ng Manggagawa - Jardine Schindlers Elevators Corporation-ADLO-KMU.

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