Navy: Contingency plans ready against China’s reclamation in Scarborough
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine government has established contingency plans in case China proceeds with reclamation activities in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, a move regarded as one of its “red lines.”
The Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, made the revelation when asked if the military is ready in case China starts to reclaim Bajo de Masinloc.
“Yes there are red lines given by the government, one of these is the no reclamation on Bajo de Masinloc the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) [and] the Philippine Navy have appropriate contingency plans in place in the event that this is violated,” the Navy official said in a press conference on Tuesday.
Asked again what would happen if this “red line” was violated, Trinidad reiterated: “These are red lines. Non-negotiable. We have appropriate contingency plans with the AFP to address that.”
In March last year, the Navy official said China could not remove the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, as the government also considers this a “red line.”
Beijing’s continued aggression was based on its assertion of sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea, as it continues to reject the 2016 arbitral ruling that effectively dismissed its claims and ruled in favor of Manila.
The landmark ruling stemmed from a case filed by Manila in 2013, a year after its tense standoff with Beijing over Panatag Shoal, whose lagoon the latter now effectively controls.
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