President Ferdinand “Bongbong ” Marcos Jr finds ‘very worrisome” the reported presence of a Russian Attack submarine within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
This was after the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) monitored the Russian Attack Submarine UFA 490 at 80 nautical miles west of Cape Calavite, Occidental Mindoro in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on November 28. “That’s very concerning.
“Any intrusion into the West Philippine Sea, of our EEZ, of our baselines, is very worrisome,” the president told the media.
The president already instructed the AFP to discuss the matter and take necessary actions to ensure the country’s security.
National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya however clarified that based on some circumstances the Russian submarine merely exercised freedom of navigation.
Malaya said the location of the Russian submarine was actually part of the high seas and already outside the Philippine territorial sea. ” Nagpakilala siya at sinabi niya na galing Kota Kinabalu sa Malaysia at on the way na siya pabalik sa kaniyang naval base sa Vladivostok” Malaya said.
Malaya pointed out that the Russian vessel still had the right to pass the area provided it does not loiter around, extract resources and conduct marine scientific survey
(Bongbong Marcos photo)
Abner is an award-winning journalist. He received the prestigious 2015 Titus Brandsma Award for Community Communication in the Philippines and participated in the 2016 International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) of the United States of America, sponsored by the US Embassy in the Philippines. Founder of WATCH NORTH COTABATO, a media-citizens’ transparency group. He worked as a correspondent for the Philippine Daily Inquirer and CNN Philippines. His experience in broadcasting includes anchoring for Brigada News FM in Kidapawan and General Santos City and Brigada News TV. He anchors Tira Brigada via 105.1 Brigada News FM Manila, Mondays-Saturdays.