Philippines, France, US warships set sail for West Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines — Two Philippine Navy ships left port yesterday to take part in the Balikatan exercises’ first-ever multilateral naval drills in Philippine waters, along with a US Navy landing ship dock and a French Navy frigate.

The BRP Ramon Alcaraz and BRP Davao del Sur were first to leave Palawan’s shores followed by FS Vendemiare and USS Harpers Ferry, to begin their Multilateral Maritime Exercises (MME) under the 39th iteration of the Balikatan.

The seven-day naval exercise stretches up to the edges of the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

Details were unclear but earlier announcements from Balikatan executive agent Col. Michael Logico said the Philippine and US Coast Guards would also be participating in the MME scheduled from April 23 to 29.

But Philippine Coast Guard spokesman Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said the PCG would be on standby only to provide security.

The PCG, he said, would have three vessels deployed in Palawan, two in Northern Luzon, and one on stand-by.

“We are not necessarily participating but we are on stand-by to provide maritime security when the participating units have activities, the (PCG) ships will be there to provide perimeter activities,” Balilo said.

“Our ships will be there and if there is a need to issue a (radio) challenge, or to issue a warning or tell them to leave, then that they (PCG ships) will do,” he said.

“It is less provocative if it is the PCG that is in charge of the security measures,” he added.

Capt. Ariel Coloma, spokesman for the Western Command of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said the other US Navy ship, USS Somerset, was no longer part of the joint sail.

“They have lined training activities. In fact, upon reaching the eastern coast of Palawan, they will begin division tactics, OW (Officers Watch) maneuvers,” he said.

“They will be then going up north to Mindoro Strait then enter the West Philippine Sea. So their exercises continue like photo exercise, gunnery exercise, that will be until April 29,” Coloma said.

After the MME, he said the four ships will separate, with the BRP Davao del Sur sailing to another location to join an amphibious assault activity, and the BRP Ramon Alcaraz and the FS Vendemiare heading for a separate bilateral sail event, all still under Balikatan.

Coloma said the combined military training activities including the MME “will really help us enhance interoperability with our allied forces specifically with our US counterparts.”

The training, he added, would also allow Philippine troops to test their new equipment as well as practice techniques, tactics, procedures and doctrines to determine if they were still applicable.

The MME specifically, Coloma said, “would really help us build (our) defense capabilities to help us face security challenges, and we share the same security challenges with our partner nations – with our other allies, so it’s really very timely that we train in dealing with unforeseen scenario, even disasters at sea, where we need to conduct disaster response or humanitarian assistance at sea, so we can respond together seamlessly.”

He said the drills would continue with or without the presence of Chinese vessels in the area. He said he was confident the Chinese would not do anything to disrupt the exercises.

“We expect no problem, we see no confrontation and at least we have an understanding regarding procedures. And of course, it’s part of our task to patrol our waters and give our partners the opportunity to exercise freedom of navigation. It’s in the law, and freedom of navigation is in international law so we effectively exercise that through conduct of these activities at sea,” he added. — Evelyn Macairan