The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is supportive of any outside effort that will help increase its capability, a ranking official said amid the United States’ plan to build a facility in Palawan.
“The AFP supports any effort by our partner nations, like-minded nations, to increase our capability not only for operations but even for support and sustainment,” Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in an interview late Thursday.
He was responding to an inquiry regarding the U.S. plan to construct a boat maintenance facility at the Naval Detachment Oyster Bay in Ulugan Bay inn Puerto Princesa City, as announced by the U.S. Embassy in Manila on Wednesday.
In a document found by Palawan News, it was stated that the U.S. is also constructing a boat maintenance facility in Quezon town in the southern part of the province.
Trinidad did not elaborate on the supposed U.S. plan. “We will wait for further details on other announcements,” he said.
Asked if the planned U.S. facility could trigger China, with which the Philippines has a maritime row over the West Philippine Sea (WPS), the Navy official said all actions of Philippine allies are “covered by the appropriate agreements between the respective countries.”
“I don’t want to speculate on the future, but the PN, the AFP, welcomes any move by our partners and allies to increase our capability, especially along support and sustainment of all our assets,” he reiterated.
In its announcement, the U.S. Embassy said the U.S. Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command formally issued on July 7 a public solicitation for the design and construction of the project.
The facility is expected to provide repair and maintenance capabilities for several small Philippine military watercraft and include two multi-purpose interior rooms suitable for equipment storage or conference use.
Possible talks
Meanwhile, in the same interview, Trinidad said any dialogue with China that would help de-escalate tensions in the WPS must be primarily based on mutual respect and respect for international law, among others.
“The AFP and the defense establishment leadership has always been very supportive of dialogue and talking things over,” he said when asked if the military is amenable to possible talks between the Philippines and China aimed at reducing tensions in the vital waterway.
“However, dialogue must be based on mutual respect, respect for international law. It must be based on trust, and it must be based on the integrity of the territory of both sides.”
For a dialogue to happen, Trinidad, quoting Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr., said the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) “has a lot of trust-building to do.”
He maintained that the AFP is always supportive of any effort by the government to de-escalate and bring about a peaceful resolution to any dispute in the WPS. (PNA)
