News Roundup 10 November 2023
Nov 10, 2023 • 4 min Read
Philippines files protest vs China over Ayungin Shoal water cannon incident | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines lodged another diplomatic protest against China on Friday following an incident where the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) deployed water cannons during a resupply mission at Ayungin Shoal.
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said that the CCG fired water cannon at a boat carrying provisions to Filipino troops near Ayungin Shoal, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, in the Spratly Islands.
NTF-WPS said that the CCG “recklessly harassed, blocked, executed dangerous maneuvers” as they tried to “illegally impede or obstruct a routine resupply” of Filipino troops at the outpost.
“CCG vessel 5203 deployed water cannon against Philippine supply vessel M/L Kalayaan in an illegal though unsuccessful attempt to force the latter to alter course,” NTF-WPS said in a statement.
Several Filipino troops, which depend on resupply missions for survival, are positioned on the deteriorating BRP Sierra Madre, grounded by the Philippine Navy on the reef in 1999 to counter China’s expansion in the region.
Full Story at: Philippines files protest vs China over Ayungin Shoal water cannon incident | Philstar.com
Philippines to launch five coast guard patrol ships with Japan aid | PHILSTAR.COM – MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines is to launch five coast guard vessels worth half a billion dollars through a Japanese government loan, a senior official said Thursday, to improve its patrol capability in disputed waters of the South China Sea.
Manila announced the project after a visit by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who pledged in a speech that Japan would “continue to contribute to the enhancement of the Philippines’ security capabilities”.
The Philippines has been upgrading its maritime security assets and boosting ties with allies to counteract China’s aggressive actions in the South China Sea, including areas disputed by the two neighbours.
Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan told reporters the five 97-metre (318-foot) vessels will be delivered between 2027 and 2028, with funding worth worth 29.3 billion pesos ($525 million) loaned from Tokyo.
“The project will enable the coast guard to secure important sea lines of communication in the West Philippine Sea,” among others, he said, using the Philippine name for its claimed areas in the South China Sea.
“It will also help the Philippine Coast Guard combat illegal activities and enforce maritime laws in the Philippine waters,” he said.
Full Story at: Philippines to launch five coast guard patrol ships with Japan aid | Philstar.com
Pogo proliferation points to potential covert spying in PH – Hontiveros | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Are Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (Pogos) now being used to allow enemy forces and spies into the country?
Amid growing security worries, Pogos came under Deputy Minority Leader Risa Hontiveros’ scrutiny again when she raised the question on Friday during the Senate committee on women’s probe into Smart Web Technology.
Smart Web Technology, a Pogo firm in Pasay City, has been implicated in many crimes and offenses, including prostitution, human trafficking, torture, kidnapping for ransom, and online scams.
Hontiveros said some Chinese are now faking their nationalities to obtain valid Philippine identification cards and passports.
Full Story at: Pogo proliferation points to potential covert spying in PH – Hontiveros | Inquirer News
Sara Duterte’s secret funds can be resuscitated in bicam – Pimentel | INQUIRER.NET – MANILA, Philippines — Senate Minority Leader Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III is not ruling out the possibility that the controversial P650 million confidential funds of the Office of the Vice President (OVP) and the Department of Educations (DepEd) could be restored during the bicameral committee discussion.
On Thursday, Vice President Secretary Sara Duterte dropped the request for the P500 million confidential fund for OVP and another P150 million for DepEd, which she concurrently heads.
But anything can still happen when the 2024 budget bill reaches the bicameral level, Pimentel said Friday.
“’Yan ang katotohanan na hindi maganda sa bicam, na parang anything goes po dun. But theoretically speaking, the bicam has the power to introduce anything…” he explained to reporters in a Zoom interview.
(That’s the truth that is not good in bicam as if anything goes there. But theoretically speaking, the bicam has the power to introduce anything…)
“So tama po ‘yan, theoretically speaking, pwedeng ma-restore,” he said.
(So that’s correct; theoretically speaking, it can be restored.)
Full Story at: Sara Duterte’s secret funds can be resuscitated in bicam – Pimentel | Inquirer News
