PH, Canadian navy conduct bilateral sail in West Philippine Sea

Philippine Navy’s BRP Antonio Luna and Canadian Navy’s HMCS Ottawa during their joint sail on September 21 in the West Philippine Sea. (Screengrab from video shared by the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Western Command)

MANILA, Philippines — After its bilateral sail in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) with the United States earlier this month, the Philippine Navy conducted another maritime activity in the area again with their Canadian counterparts, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said on Friday.

At around 7:23 am on Thursday, the Philippine Navy guided-missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna completed its sail in the WPS, this time with the Canadian Halifax-class frigate HMCS Ottawa, according to Lieutenant Colonel Enrico Gil Ileto, the AFP’s public affairs chief.

BRP stands for “Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas” (Ship of the Republic of the Philippines), while HCMS means “His Majesty’s Canadian Ship.”

“The joint sail is part of the Philippine Navy’s regular engagements with its partners in the Philippines’ maritime zones,” Ileto said in a statement.

“Bravo Zulu to all the personnel of both ships and those who planned this activity,” Ileto added. “Bravo Zulu” is a naval signal meaning “well done.”

Last September 4, Navy’s guided-missile frigate BRP Jose Rizal and the US Navy Arleigh Burke-class guided missile-destroyer USS Ralph Johnson also conducted a joint sail.

READ: Navies of US, PH conduct maritime activity in waters off western Palawan

These joint sails were done relatively near the contested Spratly Islands, parts of which belonged to the country under the Kalayaan Island Group in the WPS that China also claims under its sweeping ten-dash line.

But the Philippines challenged the then-nine dash-line before the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which later invalidated Beijing’s demarcation.

READ: China should ‘act responsibly’: DFA junks Beijing’s ‘10-dash line’ map

JMS