Chinese carrier, several other warships spotted off north Luzon

MANILA, April 25 ------ The Philippine Navy said nine People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy vessels were spotted in the northern coast of Luzon, adding the ships may be there to keep an eye on joint exercises between Filipino and American troops. These include the aircraft carrier Shandong (CV-17); six escort warships, including destroyers and frigates; and two support vessels. “This was one of the larger and unusual formations we have monitored,” Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, told reporters in a chance interview on the sidelines of the Maritime Security Symposium in Manila.  

The Chinese vessels were first monitored on Tuesday, April 22. According to Capt. John Percie Alcos, Navy spokesperson, the CV-17 was tracked underway 2.23 nautical miles southwest of Babuyan Island around 9 a.m. on Tuesday while the AGI-797 was monitored underway 33.11 nautical miles northwest of Dalupiri Island or 38.91 nautical miles northwest of Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte past noon. 

On Wednesday, April 23, the Chinese aircraft carrier was located 115 nautical miles off Sta. Ana, Cagayan. “It is within our territorial waters but we cannot say for certain if they pose a real threat because their passage was expeditious,” Navy spokesperson Captain John Percie Alcos said. “Their passage was expeditious and they did not stop in any part of their particular travel,” he added. 

Navy officials said the Chinese vessels exercised the right of innocent passage allowed under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea or UNCLOS. “We expect a lot of vessels to transit that particular area, especially off the coast of the Babuyan Island and Dalupiri Island because it’s a recognized maritime corridor,” he added. 

The warships, however, did not respond to the Navy’s radio challenges. “No (It is not a cause for alarm). Why not? We know they are there, we monitor them, we challenge them and we are aware of their presence,” Trinidad said. “We expect a lot of vessels to transit that particular area, especially off the coast of the Babuyan Island and Dalupiri Island because it’s a recognized maritime corridor,” he added.   “With the Balikatan exercises ongoing, we also expect several key players to be there also to monitor the exercises," Alcos explained. 

Progressive groups led by Bagong Alyansang Makabayan have long opposed the annual joint exercises and the presence of foreign troops in the Philippines, saying these put the Philippines at risk of being dragged into conflicts between more powerful countries. 

Source: news.abs-cbn.com