Brawner to PH soldiers: Plan for action in case of Taiwan invasion

Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Romeo S. Brawner Jr. talks to members of the media during a press conference that followed the MDB-SEB Meeting 2024 at the Philippine Military Academy in Baguio City on Thursday, August 29, 2024. Arnel Tacson/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines — Soldiers in the northern frontier of the country should prepare in case there is an invasion of Taiwan, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief General Romeo Brawner said on Tuesday.

Brawner made this grim reminder during his speech to mark the anniversary of the Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom), which oversees the parts close to the self-ruled democratic island that communist-ruled China deems a renegade province subject to reunification.

Beijing, which did not rule out the usage of force to put the island territory under its control, on Tuesday sent its army, navy, air, and rocket forces to surround Taipei, aimed at practicing a blockade.

READ: China launches military drills around Taiwan

Nolcom has come a “long, long way already” when it comes to territorial defense, but Brawner said the unified command needs to extend its “sphere of operations.”

“Let me give you this further challenge: Do not be content with securing the northern hemisphere until Mavulis Island,” Brawner said, referring to the northernmost tip of the country, which is just 142 kilometers away from Cape Eluanbi or the southernmost point of Taiwan.

READ: Teodoro calls for more structures, increased AFP presence in Batanes

“Start planning for action in case there is [an] invasion of Taiwan,” the AFP chief added. “Inevitably, we will be involved.”

Brawner also said the Philippine government should consider the 250,000 Filipinos working in Taiwan.

“We will have to rescue them—and it will be the task of the Northern Luzon Command,” he added.

Manila has allowed Washington to access four more Philippine military bases under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (Edca) in April 2023.

Three of these Edca bases — two in Cagayan and another one in Isabela — are facing Taiwan.

These new Edca sites irked Beijing, stressing that the agreement was made so that Washington could “encircle and contain China” which would drag the Philippines into “the Taiwan question,” a claim that was rejected by Manila.

Taiwan broke away from the Chinese mainland in 1949 following its takeover by Mao Zedong’s communist forces.