News
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US to continue operations in South China Sea
US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said on Tuesday that the United States would continue to confront what Washington sees as China’s militarization of islands in the South China Sea, despite drawing condemnation from Beijing for an operation in the region over the weekend. Reuters first reported that two US Navy warships sailed near South China Sea islands claimed by China…
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DEALING WITH RIGOROUS PRO CHINA FOLKS. RIGOBERTO’S LACK OF RIGOR DEALING WITH RIGOROUS PRO CHINA FOLKS
Wow! Thank you venerable Rigoberto Tiglao for grouping citizen Golez with Vice President Robredo and Acting Chief Justice Carpio. An honor!!! Except Rigoberto showed lack of rigor 😂😂😂when he displayed blissful ignorance by saying I don’t know the geography of Woody Island and the rest of the Paracels. THE STRATEGIC TRIANGLE: FYI, Woody Island has been and continues to be…
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Digong as China’s protectee
THE President does not want the US and other countries, agencies and individuals to interfere with his anti-poor drug war. China, not known for human rights, doesn’t so interfere but is busy building fortifications in the disputed seas west of the Philippines. Indeed, Digong appears to be China’s “protectee” while the country has been reduced to a “protectorate” of it,…
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Rising to protect Philippine Rise
Many find it weird why focus was on an uncontested area instead of the West Philippine Sea where Filipinos are increasingly frustrated over the seemingly inadequate response of the Philippines to China’s relentless intrusions into our exclusive economic zone. But the attention drawn last week to the Philippine Rise, formerly called Benham Rise, when President Duterte led the send-off of…
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Pangan: Alarming and scary
THE creeping expansion of China into our so-called territory may cause extreme alarm to the citizens of the Republic of the Philippines. Their apprehension may escalate, depending on the speed the present administration dispenses favors to China and any other foreign country. His (President Duterte) recent pronouncements do not augur well for the country: asserting PH sovereignty will mean trouble…
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Joint exploration would waive PH rights over West Philippine Sea: Hilbay
MANILA—The Philippines would waive its rights over the West Philippine Sea should it agree to a joint oil and gas exploration with China, former solicitor general Florin Hilbay said Saturday. China vows to have ‘prudent’ oil exploration with Philippines China must recognize PH ownership of resources before joint exploration: Carpio “That’s rather blatantly unconstitutional. It’s against the decision in the…
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Philippines’ lacklustre fight in the South China Sea
Amid South China Sea dispute, President Rodrigo Duterte balks at pushing back after landmark maritime rights ruling. Manila, Philippines – “I cannot go to war with China,” says Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte whenever he is pressed about his country’s challenged sovereignty claim over a portion of the South China Sea. It’s the same line he told his Navy on its…
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China insists ‘inherent right’ to military activities in South China Sea
MANILA, Philippines — Responding to the Pentagon’s withdrawal of its invitation to participate in a multinational naval exercise, China justified its militarization of the disputed South China Sea. The US disinvited China to the 2018 Rim of the Pacific exercise in Hawaii as an “initial response” to Beijing’s increasing militarization in the region. “It is our inherent right as a…
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PH starts runway repair in Spratlys
The Philippines has finally started the long overdue repairs for the runway on Pagasa Island (Thitu) in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Satellite images from May 17 show two barges anchored off the western edge of Pagasa’s “crumbling airstrip,” the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies’ (CSIS) Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (Amti) said Saturday. “It appears that…
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PH starts runway repair in Spratlys
The Philippines has finally started the long overdue repairs for the runway on Pagasa Island (Thitu) in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). Satellite images from May 17 show two barges anchored off the western edge of Pagasa’s “crumbling airstrip,” the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies’ (CSIS) Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (Amti) said Saturday. “It appears that…
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Carpio: Chinese jets, bombers may soon land on Subi Reef near Pag-asa Island
MANILA – Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio on Friday warned that Subi Reef (Zamora Reef) in the disputed Spratly Islands could soon see bombers and fighter jets landing on its runway. The magistrate, a foremost advocate of the Philippines’ claims in the South China Sea, said this in light of a recent report that the island is now home to…
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Protests Over, China Seen More Empowered to Militarize a Disputed Sea
TAIPEI — Beijing weathered only light protests against its reported missile installations in the Spratly Islands, making it easier to strengthen its military outposts in the disputed South China Sea, analysts say. Vietnam demanded May 8 that China remove any missiles but did not push further. The Philippines has “active mechanisms” to discuss militarization of the South China Sea but…