Gazmin clarifies conflicting reports on Panatag concrete blocks

MANILA, Philippines - Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Friday explained the conflicting information about the concrete blocks in Panatag (Scarborough Shoal), the subject of a territorial dispute between the country and China.

Last month, officials revealed that about 75 concrete blocks have been spotted in Panatag Shoal, which is well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

The Defense Department said the putting of the concrete blocks could be a prelude to a construction project. The government previously planned to file a diplomatic protest against China over the concrete blocks.

China denies installing the concrete blocks but continues to conduct maritime patrols in the area.

Confusion, however, was created after President Aquino revealed last Wednesday that the concrete blocks were “very very old” and that some of them have barnacles attached to them. He said there is no need to remove the concrete blocks as they do not pose a threat to navigation.

The Department of Foreign Affairs also announced that it would no longer protest the presence of the concrete blocks.

Gazmin said while the blocks may by old, these were just spotted recently by surveillance teams.

“The president is right that some of the blocks have barnacles meaning that they are already old. But this is new to us because we just saw them recently,” the defense chief said.

Gazmin said the high tide might have prevented the surveillance teams from seeing the concrete blocks during previous missions. He said they have no way of telling how old the blocks were.

When asked whether he can say categorically that China put the blocks, Gazmin said: “We cannot tell. But what is important is our case is ongoing. We will push through with the case. Maybe this won’t affect the ongoing case.”

Last January, the Philippines challenged China’s territorial claim to most of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) before an international tribunal of the United Nations (UN).

China claims almost the entire West Philippine Sea and the East Sea. The area, delineated by a so-called nine-dash line, covers more than 100 islets, atolls and reefs.

The Philippines said China’s nine-dash line, which outlined its claims over most of the sea is illegal. China’s claims also overlap with those of the Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei and Vietnam.

The Philippines hopes the international tribunal would regard China’s claim in the West Philippine Sea as contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.

It has also called on China to “desist from unlawful activities that violate its sovereign rights and jurisdiction.

Gazmin is confident that Panatag Shoal won’t be another Mischief Reef, an area off Palawan that is within the Philippine territory but is now being occupied by China.

“We conduct regular air patrols and sea patrols there,” he said.