THE PHILIPPINE Navy (PN) said it is ready to protect oil exploration and drilling activities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) from any encroachment by a foreign power, an official said Tuesday.
“Your PN and your Armed Forces are ready to provide security and protection to any effort by the national government to exploit the natural resources within our exclusive economic zone. We are prepared to provide protection to any other party that will be working with the Philippine government and to provide security against any interference of any foreign power,” PN spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a press briefing held at Villamor Air Base, Pasay City.
Trinidad made this comment when asked if the PN is capable of securing the drilling operation that would be conducted by the seventh-generation drillship Noble Viking as part of the Malampaya Phase (MP) 4 project.
Asked if the security they will extend includes standing naval and air patrols, the PN official said their protection is a “full package”.
Trinidad did not elaborate on the details of these operations.
Under the MP4, Noble Viking was commissioned by Prime Energy to drill three new wells, Camago-3, Malampaya East 1, and Bagong Pag-asa-1 to extend the operations of the Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power Project that has long served as a cornerstone of the Philippine energy mix.
These wells are also expected to secure the country’s indigenous energy supply.
Chinese aircraft carrier monitored off Luzon Strait
As this developed, Trinidad also confirmed that they had monitored the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) aircraft carrier, Shandong, passing through the Luzon Strait.
The Chinese aircraft carrier was earlier detected by the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force passing through Luzon Strait and entering the South China Sea on June 22.
“We monitored not only the Shandong passing through the northern part of the country towards the South China Sea, WPS, but also other ships in her company and the several other PLAN and Chinese Coast Guard within our maritime zones,” he added.
Also, Trinidad said the Chinese ship was exercising “freedom of navigation” when detected.
“We were aware that they passed through our waters,” he added. (PNA)
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