Gov’t readies rules on joint maritime patrols

Department of Foreign Affairs Sec. Enrique Manalo. Senate PRIB

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed on Thursday that the government is drafting guidelines on joint patrols in the West Philippine Sea with the United States and other nations, and exploring other defense partnerships with Singapore and Vietnam.

“In terms of Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) partners, we’re also in touch with Singapore,” Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo said at a Senate hearing on March 1.

“We will also embark on discussions with Vietnam and other countries in the region, all with the intention of trying to increase our security not only in terms of military and defense, but also through economic security,” he added.

DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza on Thursday said “operational details, including on the possibility of engaging other regional partners, will be part of PH-US discussions within the framework of the [Mutual Defense Board-Security Engagement Board].”

READ: DFA crafting guidelines for joint maritime patrols in West Philippine Sea

Although the DFA has yet to name which regional partners will join the Philippine-US joint patrols, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines Hae Kyong Yu told the Inquirer on Wednesday that Canberra has entered the discussions on combined maritime activities in international waters.

“We do have the desire to work closely with our partners in support of international laws, like the [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea], in the South China Sea… It is in the best interest of Australia as well to keep the waters free and open,” Yu said, adding, however, that Canberra has not yet reached a decision. A report by Reuters quoted Philippine Ambassador to the United States, Jose Manuel Romualdez, as saying, “probably we may have the Japanese and the Australians join in.”

READ: Joint patrols to secure Philippine waters

But the Japanese Embassy in Manila told the Inquirer that Tokyo, as of now, has no plans to join the multilateral patrols.

“As of now, there is no specific plan or discussion about the alleged ‘joint patrol’ among JP (Japan), PH (Philippines), US and AUS (Australia),” the embassy told the Inquirer through email. But the embassy reiterated the commitment Prime Minister Fumio Kishida made when President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. visited Tokyo earlier this month: that the Japanese Self-Defense Forces will participate in Philippine-US joint exercises and enhance exchanges through trilateral dialogues.

“Japan will explore the possibility of cooperating with partners to reinforce Maritime Domain Awareness and maritime law enforcement in the Indo-Pacific,” the embassy said.