AFP denies disruption on PHL-JAPAN-AUS-US maritime activity in WPS

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) denied any confrontation with China that disrupted the conduct of Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) with its counterparts from Japan, Australia, and the United States in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Sunday morning. 

"The MMCA was successfully concluded with no untoward incident happened," AFP Public Affairs chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad told DAILY TRIBUNE. 

AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla also noted that MMCA was successfully concluded at about 4:52 p.m. on Sunday afternoon. 

"All planned exercises were conducted," she told reporters.

The AFP made the statement after the Chinese Ministry of National Defense stated that "the Chinese PLA [People Liberation Army] Southern Theater Command organized a joint naval and air strategic patrol in the South China Sea on 7 April."

"All military activities disrupting the South China Sea situation and creating buzzes are under control, noted a statement released by the PLA Southern Theater Command on Sunday morning," it added.

In a radio interview, Department of National Defense spokesperson Arsenio Andolong noted that the MMCA in the WPS is a "show of unity" among the four countries, rather than a show of force against China.

"We're just practicing what is allowed under international law. As I said, it's a show of unity. If they [China] consider it as a show of force, that is up to them," Andolong stressed. 

He noted that the quadrilateral exercise among the Philippines, Australia, Japan, and the US is something that is also undertaken by "civilized nations all over the world."

"What is important is that we are doing this in the name of our national interest in the Philippines. As I mentioned, what we're getting out of this is the enhancement of our capability and our interoperability with our partners," he added.