By Tessa Jamandre
VERA Files
Aerial shots taken in October by the Philippine Air Force on routine reconnaissance flights show the 20-by-20-meter structure complemented by parabolic antennas and domes on the reef, which the Philippine government calls “Zamora” and lies only 26 kilometers southwest of Pag-asa that is part of Kalayaan town.
The lighthouse is intended to expand and fortify China’s claim over the hotly contested Spratly group of islands, experts said.
Under international law, a lighthouse is a recognized base point from where a state can measure its maritime regimes, including territorial sea (12 nautical miles from the baseline), contiguous zone (24 nm), economic exclusive zone (200 nm), continental shelf (200 nm) and extended continental shelf (350nm).
Malacañang and the Department of Foreign Affairs declined to comment on the information when asked for their reaction. An official, who asked not to be named, said they would like to see first the published article.
“I think that should be resisted. That really goes against all understandings,” said former ambassador to Japan Domingo Siazon who was the foreign secretary in 1995 when the Philippines strongly protested the construction by China of military-type structures on Mischief Reef, 150 miles west of Palawan and 620 miles southeast of China.
The Philippines will have an opportunity to raise the issue when senior officials of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and China meet at the joint working group level on Dec. 22-23 in Kunming City on the implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
Called “Zhubi Dao” by China and “Da Su Bi” by Vietnam, Subi Reef surrounds a huge lagoon. China had earlier constructed three-story buildings, wharfs and a helipad there.
Other Spratlys claimants have upgraded their facilities. Vietnam has two buildings and an airstrip on Southwest Cay (Dao Song Tu Tay in Vietnamese) that overlooks the Philippines’ Parola island (Northeast Cay).
Malaysia’s Pulau Layang-Layang or Swallow Reef is now being marketed for tourism. Development of the resort, which included a bay for yachts and windmills to generate power, was completed this year.
None of the nine islands occupied by the Philippines has a port facility, but it is part of the development plan of the Kalayaan local government for Pag-asa island. The airstrip on the Philippines’ Pag-asa island, the first landing facility to be built in the area, remains undeveloped.
“We are very eco-friendly,” a military official wryly remarked.
The Philippines occupies nine of the 53 islands it claims in the mineral-rich Spratlys chain in the South China Sea, which China claims wholly. Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have also staked their claims on some of the 160 islands.
Last month, an additional battalion of Marines was deployed to Palawan. The military is giving more attention to external mode or territorial defense now that the terrorist threat has been contained or is diminishing and peace talks with the communist insurgents are about to start.
Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban, Armed Forces Western Command chief, said the force of choice for external defense is the Fleet Marine because it is highly mobile and can easily adapt to both land and sea environment.
“You know China would not have intruded into the Mischief Reef if they (the Philippine government) didn’t pull out the Marines there,” he said.
He recalled that following the people power revolution in 1986, the administration of Corazon Aquino pulled out all the Marines from Palawan, which is nearest to the Spratlys, and sent them to Tawi-Tawi and Sulu because of their perceived loyalty to her predecessor, Ferdinand Marcos.
“So the Spratlys became vulnerable; that’s when China came in,” Sabban said.
Mischief Reef today is a far cry from what it was when stilt structures built by China were first discovered by the Philippines in 1995. China has replaced the stilt structures with four clusters of structures and a main building with parabolic antennas and has relocated machine guns.
The discovery of the structures triggered a diplomatic standoff between the Philippines and China and caused the ASEAN to engage China in talks on the code of conduct in the area that is described as a potential flashpoint in Asia-Pacific.
The talks produced a watered-down ASEAN-China Declaration on the Conduct of parties in the South China Sea because China objected to the use of the word “code.”
Former Philippine representative to the United Nations Lauro Baja, who was the Philippines chief negotiator for the code of conduct in the South China Sea when he was foreign undersecretary, said China is allergic to the word “code” because to it connotes a legal obligation that all the parties would assume.
Baja said China’s thinking was, “Why would we allow others to assume obligations over an area which we own?”
Eight years after the signing of the DOC, the implementing guidelines have yet to be finalized. China has been consistent with its position that the SCS is a bilateral issue among claimant countries and has tried avoiding discussion of it in ASEAN meetings. ASEAN, however, succeeded in having it discussed at the Asean-China summit in Hanoi last September. It was there that they agreed on the Dec. 22- 23 meeting.
Recent intervention of the United States on the South China Sea issue has complicated matters.
In a meeting with Asean foreign ministers in Hanoi in July, U.S. State Secretary Hillary Clinton declared that it is in the “national interest” of the United States that freedom of navigation be maintained in the South China Sea through which 85 per cent of the ships carrying oil for China, Japan, and South Korea pass.
Clinton also said the U.S. supports “a collaborative diplomatic process … without coercion” in resolving the territorial disputes.
China’s Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi rebuked Clinton, saying internationalizing the South China Sea issue would “only make matters worse and more difficult to solve.”
Baja said the Americans hope to get a foothold in the South China Sea so they can monitor activities in the region. He took note of China’s statement that the South China Sea is a “core issue” just like Taiwan and Tibet.
“That means China would be willing to go to war over it,” he said.
offer some of those islands to any superpower, (america, russia, germany, etc.) for lease or outright sale since we are not in any position to safeguard or develop them anyway.
Let’s see if PH would react same way as Nokor. Gosh, we can’t even protect our islands then we even suggested to bring troops to Korea again. The next war won’t be in the Middle East. It would be in the Pacific…in Asia.
Mukhang hindi mabenta ang putaheng ito. So far, there are only two comments posted including yours truly. Buti pa ang football maraming bumili. But we should realize the importance of this development at Spratleys. Baka diyan pumutok ang gulo. China is clearly provoking the Philippines and other claimants. By provoking the Philippines, China is as if provoking the US too. Mas matindi ang gulo diyan kesa sa Korea. Ang Korea naman hanggang ingay lang. Sa Spratley nandiyan ang kayamanan. Very strategic pa ang lugar na iyan economically and militarily. Bakit naging ganoon? Bakit naging saling pusa na lang ang Pilipinas na mas may karapatan doon. Please read this portion ay copied from Vera Files and tell me who’s to blame:
“You know China would not have intruded into the Mischief Reef if they (the Philippine government) didn’t pull out the Marines there,” he said.
He recalled that following the people power revolution in 1986, the administration of Corazon Aquino pulled out all the Marines from Palawan, which is nearest to the Spratlys, and sent them to Tawi-Tawi and Sulu because of their perceived loyalty to her predecessor, Ferdinand Marcos.
“So the Spratlys became vulnerable; that’s when China came in,” Sabban said.
Recently, US State Sec Hilary Clinton warned China to keep her hands off the Spratley islands. This statement did not sound well with the Chinese. Could this latest move by China a direct challenge to Clinton and America? Let’s see how Uncle Sam reacts to this.
Add to this expansion program is another potential major teritorial dispute:
Beijing claims ‘indisputable sovereignty’ over South China Sea
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/30/AR2010073005664.html
And I thought that Gloria Arroyo has sold the Spratly to China thru Sovereign Guaranteed Loans, that she and her family has kept for themselves?
Seriously though. What can we do about this? Lodge a complaint with the UN governing body?_The UN is so slow in it’s actions. Fight it out with China?_The AFP can not even win over ASG, MILF, NPA, not to mention the KFR’s, Carnappers. There’s nothing that we can do but wait and watch what would happen next, and which Philippine territory could next be annexed by China. I am looking at Palawan, especially the Malampaya area, where China could extract much needed petroleum and natural gas for herself.
And yet we want the US Military support out of our lives.
The US maybe using her small nation or military inept allies as pawns, but I think that is also a deterrent from nations, like China from fully encroaching upon us, and bully us into submission. Darn, someone in the Gloria government previously said on rape victims : ” Relax and Enjoy The Ride”…
Was this photo (above) taken by PAF reconn a/c? As the image also indicates US Navy. Just asking, coz’ I thought we only have 1 plane in operations due to other planes have been chop-chopped by the top brass of the air force.
you’re probably referring to the joint oil seismic studies conducted by china in the spratly in exchange for $2 billion a year in development assistance until 2010 to the arroyo government.
Ellen,
The only entity that could somehow make a dent in China’s thick, proud caraps is ASEAN which sadly, as China knows too well, is a toothless “tiger”.
Not much RP govt can do or say really… the occupation and the rehabilitation of Subi islet or reef is a bully tactic but China is well within their bully rights to do it. We occupied Pagasa ourselves and there’s not much China could do about it although if they want to, they could drown our own navy guards on it. Thing is we should have occupied that reef too. But too late now.
However this occupation by China shouldn’t stop ordinary citizens lamabasting China for its bully tactics.
Lemme start 🙂 This commenter here now officially supports a Free Tibet! Long live the Dalai Lama! Long live independent Tibet 😛
Dang! Meant dang! meant “China’s thick, proud CARAPACE…
it is our duty to die for our islands…
Oh Patria Adorada 🙁 that’s soooo passé! It is our duty to live for our islands. Difficult to fight another day when you’re dead! The first mission of our good men and women of the armed forces and the civilian population who want to make a difference is to ensure that they live to fight!
As Gen Patton said:
Just to clarify.
VERA Files saw the photos of the lighthouse but for security reasons, we were not able to get a copy of them.
The photos in the article were taken taken in 2008. VERA Files got them through Google Earth.
I bet you PH will not do anything. We’re waiting Uncle Sam’s signal. If this happened during the time of Marcos (or maybe Erap), we would have reacted stronger. The Jabidah Massacre was formed to claim back Sabah which rightfully belongs to us had the massacre not happened after Ninoy’s expose.
mukhang di nga mabenta ang putahing ito, pero iisa siguro ang solusyon na nasa isip ng karamihan,”uncle sam”.
Tulad ng ano man putahe at ulam, may maraming suki at may kaunti lang. Mas masarap ang putaheng TC at Football. Itong isang ito ordinaryong Chinese food lang. Nakakasawa na ang puro chowmien di ba?
Ang mas masaklap, kung isa o ilan lang ang kumakain ng putahe at galit sa mga sasalo. Iyan ang gusto kong baguhin dito. Puro luma at dati na. Aamoyin mo lang ang pagkain eh kakagatin ka na.
#15
ahhahahhahh…. “chowmien”, naalala ko tuloy nung 1st time pa ako bumili ng ganyan sa panda express.. syempre pinoy tayo, akala ko pancit din tawag niyan ng mga chinese dito, di nila maintindihan ano gusto ko na order…ahhaha.. sabi ko pancit, sussss…ayun, “chowmien” pala…ahhahahha
Nag-protesta na ba si Presidente Noynoy?
#16
Wala akong makitang Panda Express sa Pilipinas. Alam ko meroon sa Tate. Pero meroon daw sa Lubao, Pampanga…Pandak Express.
anna,there’s nothing you can do about me,I LOVE MY COUNTRY, the old fashioned way…
mabuhay ka, patria!
While this diplomatic headache in Spratlys may turn ugly soon, there is a brewing war in cyberspace between hackers who support Wikileaks and those who oppose it.
Hacker group Anonymous has taken the cudgels for those who support Wikileaks and its founder Julian Assange in particular and internet censorship in general that they have taken down websites of the Swedish prosecutor (who is pursuing a rape case against Assange that is widely viewed as mere harassment), the Swedish Post Office Bank, Visa.com, Mastercard.com and PayPal’s blog. The bank froze Assange’s acoount while Visa, Mastercard and Paypal have cutoff Wikileaks last week that donations by sympathizers were blocked. For weeks, Assange have been appealing to Wikipedia and other sites’ users to donate to keep Wikileaks online.
This DDoS are unique because instead of using hijacked zombie computers in the botnet, vigilantes voluntarily provided the bandwidth needed to flood the target sites for the DDoS attack. Around 5,000 computers volunteered according to Wired[dot]com.
On the other hand, Anonymous’ AnonOps[dot]info which acts as command center where it setup an online radio, servers, and IRC (chat) are likewise under counter-attack.
Facebook has shutdown Anonymous’ Operation Payback account and Twitter followed suit.
Wow this is one really huge MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game) that’s unfolding. Where will this lead to? Who will win it?
*******
Meanwhile, some documents of the US diplomatic cables have slowly been uploaded including this one about Phils and China and the US fears of shifting alliances.
Tongue, Ellen,
Truly, cyber warfare has begun in earnest! Mad! Mad! Mad! Mutually Assured Destruction at its worst!
Warfare in cyberspace has become the next most dangerous type of war. Twenty-eight NATO member nations have now made it one of their combat priorities. SHAPE (Supreme Hqs Allied Powers Europe) is on its toes as I write this.
Effectively, war is all about destruction of one’s (our) way of life — cyber warfare can be launched by any non-nation group, eg., Al Qaeda, Assange, etc, etc., against the West that, if successful, could criple institutions, eg, defence systems and govt machineries, cut off power and communication lines, bog down banks and financial institutions, etc., and place the world in total shambles.
NATO itself has been thwarting thousands and thousands of cyber attack attempts daily over the last few years. In fact, it is the looming threat of cyber attacks that has pushed the United States to form a new 4-star military command: The Cyber Command (under a 4-star general).
Last year, Estonia government machinery went down after a cyber attack. Russia was suspected of having launched the cyber-attack although it was never proven.
Today, the belief that there is no need to send tanks or missiles to a nation target, eg., USA, to defeat that target is proving to be more realistic than ever.
@patria adorada – December 9, 2010 1:43 pm
Please be assured that what I wrote was not at all a criticism of you Patria Adorada, not at all… I did not put my thought quite subtly perhaps (particularly in quoting one of my favourite old-fashioned generals) but that’s me too with a different view of herohood. But kudos to your love of country. Not many today would die for their country the old-fashioned way.
wikileaks was started by anarchists but lately there had been a division due to assange’s leaning to communism. a group went out of their system and is starting their own.
War in cyberspace? It’s happening here too. Buti pa noon na mas backward ang technology. Ngayon advanced na kaya kahit ano puwedeng gawin. But I prefer cybersex to cyberwar.
The worst terroristic attacks regarding cyberspace are those massive computers used in directing air traffic worldwide. Every US expert on these matters totally agreed that it will be an enormous chaos and thousands will die when planes are colliding with each other.
I don’t want to imagine that. Even nuke is very dangerous. Magkamali lang ang computer system matutunaw ang bansang tinututukan ng nuke at kahit na buong mundo. It takes one crazy cyber wiz to destroy the world.
Here’s a sample of the work that Wikileaks have been doing for, what do you know, a la Ellen, “Truth and Justice”. I don’t remember anymore if I first posted this here or in Facebook.
Here it is again: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5rXPrfnU3G0