NSC refutes China claim of Sandy Cay ‘seizure’

MANILA, Philippines — There is “no truth whatsoever” to the China Coast Guard (CCG)’s declaration that it has seized the Pag-asa (Sandy) Cay, National Security Council (NSC) assistant director general Jonathan Malaya said yesterday.

“No illegal seizure happened,” Malaya said at a press briefing, while admonishing Beijing and its coast guard “to act with restraint and not increase tensions in the West Philippine Sea.”

He also slammed Chinese state media for what he described as irresponsible announcements and statements on the alleged seizure.

“The facts on the ground do not support this statement coming from the Chinese Coast Guard,” Malaya said.

He said authorities had to call a press conference to clarify matters and state for the record that Philippine sovereignty over Pag-asa Cays 1, 2 and 3 remains.

“This is an alarming news to the public. So we’re here to debunk that and to assure the public that we have not lost the Pag-asa Cays,” he said.

Malaya emphasized that the Philippines exercises sovereignty over Sandy Cay. “Therefore, any affront to the sovereignty of the Philippines in Pag-asa Cays is similar to an affront to the sovereignty of all other places in the mainland of the Philippine archipelago,” he pointed out.

Malacañang also assured Filipinos that the administration would continue to lead in asserting the Philippines’ rights in the West Philippine Sea.

“There is no doubt about the dedication of President Marcos to fight for our rights in our territory, our maritime rights especially in the West Philippine Sea,” Presidential Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said at a press briefing.

“The protection of the rights of our country in accordance with international law will continue, but there is an assurance that it is for peace and stability,” she added.

The Philippine Navy, the Philippine Coast Guard and the PNP Maritime Group conducted joint operation to check on CCG’s claim and discovered that no occupation of the Pag-asa Cays on Sunday took place. The cays are within the territorial waters of Pag-asa Island.

“Therefore, the Philippines exercises not just sovereign rights, not just jurisdiction, we exercise sovereignty over three cays,” Malaya pointed out.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, said China’s claim was aimed at diverting public attention. He said the picture showing the Chinese on Pag-asa Cay was undated.

“In the information domain, this incident is the latest of their trying to shape the narrative to draw the picture away from what is happening in Balikatan, what is happening in the maritime domain with the drones, what is happening across the political landscape,” Trinidad said.

He also reminded China of its commitment to the 2002 Declaration of Conduct, halting seizure of unoccupied features.

According to Trinidad, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has been strongly monitoring the country’s maritime domain.

“Any action that will go beyond the current status quo will be, as we already declared, a red line, especially when it comes to reclamation and building activities,” Trinidad said.

“Sandy Cay is only approximately three kilometers from Pag-asa. It is within monitoring distance by our forces stationed on the island and as mentioned by the NTF and the Philippine Coast Guard, there were no presence whatsoever monitored when we sent the inter-agency team to Sandy Cay,” he stressed.

AFP wanted Sandy Cay presence

In an interview with “Storycon” on One News, retired Rear Adm. Rommel Jude Ong confirmed that the previous Duterte administration stopped a plan of the military to have a physical presence on Sandy Cay 2, or a hut-like structure for soldiers.

“We already planned that. It was already ready to set up. Last minute, it was stopped,” he said in Filipino.

“I was not privy to the reasons,” he said when asked why it was stopped.

It was around 2017 when the plan was conceptualized, Ong said, citing China’s increased interest in the area.

Had it pushed through, he said the structure would have been manned 24/7, citing its proximity to Pag-asa Island.

But he also admitted that putting up such a structure may violate the 2002 Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, which prohibits the occupation of new features.

“It may be considered as escalatory, not just by China, but all other parties involved (because we will) put up something, we installed something on a new feature,” he added.

According to Ong, recent reports of China’s occupation in the cay may have been triggered by recent activities of the Philippines in the area.

“Their picture taking at Sandy Cay is obviously a propaganda action just to show that they own Sandy Cay,” he added in a mix of English and Filipino.

Drama, gimmick

Senators denounced the CCG for falsely claiming it had seized Pag-asa Cay. “China should stop creating drama. The photoshoot gimmick and supposed planting of the Chinese flag on Sandy Cay is just another spectacle orchestrated by Beijing,” Sen. Risa Hontiveros said.

“No self-respecting state would take it to mean that China now has sovereign rights over it,” Hontiveros said.

She urged the Department of Foreign Affairs to file a diplomatic protest against Beijing for its coast guard’s action.

“Our government should take appropriate action to safeguard our claim. Sandy Cay belongs to the Philippines and no amount of island hopping of the Chinese Coast Guard will muddle the truth,” Hontiveros said.

Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada said China’s claims to Pag-asa Cay “pose a significant threat to our national sovereignty and security,” calling it “yet another attempt to distort the reality of the situation and spread fake news.”

Senate majority leader Francis Tolentino said “the illegal seizure of Sandy Cay by the China Coast Guard is an outrageous assault on Philippine sovereignty.”

“Sandy Cay lies within our territorial waters – indisputably ours under international law. This brazen intrusion must be met by the strongest diplomatic and defensive measures. We must not allow foreign forces to trample upon our rights and dignity,” Tolentino added.

Cheap stunt

Speaker Martin Romualdez said China appears to be “desperate” and called the action of CCG a “cheap stunt.”

“The deployment of Chinese personnel to Sandy Cay, their unfurling of a Chinese flag and their so-called ‘inspection’ activities are nothing more than desperate and cheap stunts, an orchestrated spectacle meant to mislead and bolster their illegitimate claims,” Romualdez said.

He reminded the Chinese that “Sandy Cay lies just four nautical miles from Pag-asa Island and has always been under Philippine jurisdiction.”

“We have continuously and effectively exercised jurisdiction over it. The 2016 Arbitral Award has already invalidated China’s sweeping and baseless claims across the South China Sea, including Sandy Cay,” the Speaker stressed.

In a statement, he also said “that no fabricated display can undermine the Philippines’ legitimate sovereignty over its territory and exclusive economic zone.”

“I strongly denounce the latest actions of the China Coast Guard in and around Sandy Cay, an area well within the Philippines’ EEZ and unquestionably part of Philippine sovereignty. The Filipino people will not be bullied in our own backyard. Team Pilipinas tayo!” Romualdez said.

For his part, Rep. Jay Khonghun said CCG’s action was a “brazen affront” to Philippine sovereignty and international law.

“This latest move by China is a clear and deliberate violation of our sovereign rights,” Khonghun said.

“Sandy Cay belongs to the Philippines. No amount of aggressive posturing or illegal occupation can erase that fact,” he said.

“We must call a spade a spade. China’s actions are illegal, provocative and undermine regional peace and stability,” Khonghun, first district congressman of Zambales, expressed.

“We strongly denounce China’s unlawful ‘landing’ on Sandy Cay in the West Philippine Sea. Sandy Cay is part of our territory because it lies only about two nautical miles from Pag-asa Island,” Akbayan party-list first nominee Chel Diokno said. Akbayan president Rafaela David called CCG’s action a “desperate Instagram moment.”

“Sorry, China, we are not impressed. No number of photo ops will change the truth: they are the trespassers, and we are the rightful owners of Sandy Cay and the West Philippine Sea,” David said. — Janvic Mateo, Alexis Romero, Ghio Ong, Marc Jayson Cayabyab, Delon Porcalla, Ernest Villeza