February 19, 2024 | NEWS DIGEST

 

By API Desk | Date 02-17-2024

 

Philippines, Vietnam set up hotline to discuss maritime issues

A hotline will be set up between Philippine and Vietnamese Coast Guards to resolve potential disputes in the contested waters in the South China Sea, as part of an agreement signed between two countries last January.  

The agreement also includes forming a Joint Coast Guard Committee, holding annual meetings to plan and organize activities such as marine pollution exercises. 

The Philippines will host five-day oil spill exercise with Indonesia and Japan in Negros island in June. The United States also promised to send an observer team to the maritime pollution drills.

Rear Admiral Armand Balilo, the Coast Guard spokesman, said Vietnam has been invited to the maritime pollution exercise.

 

Philippines, Brazil forge defense cooperation

Brazil, one of the Philippines’ principal arms suppliers, vowed to deepen its bilateral security cooperation further, a defense spokesman said.

Director Arsenio Andolong said Brazil’s ambassador, Gilberto Fonseca Guimaraes de Moura reaffirmed its commitment to help modernize the Philippine military, one of the most backward in the Southeast Asian region. 

Brazil, the first South American country with a formal defense cooperation with the Philippines, has been helping modernize the military by selling six A-29 Tucano close air support aircraft for the Air Force and 28 Guarani armored vehicles for the Army.

Andolong said the South American state has promised to cooperate with the Philippines on defense issues, including logistics and defense industry collaboration, information sharing, counter-terrorism, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief (HADR). 

 

China observes Philippines—US joint sail 

A Chinese warship shadowed naval vessels from the Philippines and the United States when the two allies held joint sail in disputed waters in the South China Sea, a flag officer said. 

Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy’s spokesman for South China Sea issue, said the Chinese warship just observed the two allies’ joint maneuver and other activities. This was the third time China has observed the joint maneuvers. 

“It showed up there as if there were three of us involved in the Maritime Cooperative activity (MCA),” Trinidad said, referring to China’s People’s Liberation Army-Navy. “They did not conduct illegal maneuvers. They were just there in the vicinity until we parted ways with the US Navy ship.” 

In another part of the disputed waters, four Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels harassed a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel patrolling in the contested waters around Scarborough Shoal.

 

Chinese ships swarm Philippine-occupied features in the Spratlys

Several Chinese vessels have swarmed around five of nine Philippine-occupied features in the disputed Spratly group of islands, a Philippine Navy flag officer told journalists at a news conference.

Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, also the spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, said at least 14 Chinese Coast Guard and fishing boats were monitored and anchored in the Spratlys.

China has been preventing the Philippines from resupplying the rusting naval transport ship that ran aground in the shoal, fearing it will be reinforced to last longer.

Chinese vessels had shadowed, harassed, laser-pointed, water-cannoned, and done dangerous maneuvers on Philippine vessels near Ayungin and Bajo de Masinloc.

 

Philippines, France discussing defense pact 

The Philippines and France have begun talks for a possible security deal, including joint military exercises and logistics support, the foreign affairs secretary said.

Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo said there were still no details about a defense cooperation pact with France, but added defense ministers of both countries have been discussing the issue.

France has been offering to sell two conventional submarines, the Scorpene, as well as aid in building a submarine base in Subic, a former US Navy base.

The Philippine Navy plans to build an operating base in a 100-hectare area leased from an American company in the former shipyard operated by a bankrupt South Korean company Hanjin.

 

Philippines security forces arrest alleged “terrorist” financier

Security forces arrested a Filipino public school teacher who was believed to be handling the finances of a local Islamist militant in the southern Philippines.

Myrna Mabanza was arrested by a combined police and military teams during a raid in a suspected Islamist militant hideout in Barangay Pasil in Indanan town, Sulu this week, according to a press statement issued by the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC).

The ATC said Mabanza was involved in managing the funds of the late leader of Islamic State East Asia, Isnilon Hapilon, and served as intermediary between Hapilon and Daesh elements in Syria. She reportedly handled some $100,000 from funds from the Middle East and Indonesia.

Prior to the arrest, ATC said that Mabanza had five arrest warrants issued by a local court in Zamboanga City. She is also in the United States global terrorist list and the United Nations Security Council sanction list for helping the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant of the Daesh and al-Quaeda.