Singapore, described by Defense Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. as a like-minded nation, is being eyed by the Philippines as its next defense cooperation partner amid the West Philippine Sea conflict.
A defense cooperation pact with Japan is in its final stages and is expected to be signed soon.
“We look forward to signing the defense cooperation agreement later this month and we look forward to greater interactions than we have today,” Teodoro said at the Singapore Armed Forces Day Reception 2024 last 10 July where he was the guest of honor and speaker.
In his address, Teodoro cited the need for the Philippines and Singapore to work together “with the end in view of creating a sustainable, rules-based, stable and peaceful regional and security architecture.”
“Singapore and the Philippines are aligned as we pay a premium to international law, the primacy of rules and resorting to legally established means of settling disputes and counter-narratives and attempts to distort the truth, and in this, we are united,” he said.
Teodoro thanked the Singaporean government and people for standing with the Philippines in upholding international law and rules-based order in the region.
“Finally, we thank the Singapore Armed Forces for the exchanges that we had, for working together for greater peace and stability in the region, and for the true mutual feelings of fraternity within our area of the world,” he said.
Teodoro noted that the immutable principles cannot be denied, in any case.
“We both want to see peace and stability based on the rule of law, based on rules-based order, and we stand up unyieldingly against any misinformation or threat to divide us by fighting for what we think is right and in this I think nobody can disagree,” he said.
Monster ship stalks PCG boat
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard said it continued to send radio challenges to China Coast Guard vessel 5901, the world’s largest coast guard ship known as “The Monster” that dropped anchor within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, said the 165-meter ship is trying to “intimidate” the BRP Teresa Magbanua into leaving the shoal.
“The Philippine Coast Guard will not be intimidated and it is not going to pull back and direct the Teresa Magbanua to go back to Palawan,” Tarriela told reporters in a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday.
Tarriela said the monster ship has been anchored at Escoda Shoal since 3 July, maintaining a proximity to Teresa Magbanua, the PCG’s largest and most modern ship.
“The distance between the two vessels is less than 800 yards, with the Chinese ship positioned on the starboard beam of the PCG vessel,” he added.
“The BRP Teresa Magbanua has constantly radio challenged the 5901 of the China Coast Guard since it arrived,” he said.
According to Tarriela, the PCG sent radio challenges to the monster ship “every time” they noticed “unusual activities such as the deployment of rigid-hull inflatable boats.”
He said the Chinese vessel not directly respond to the Teresa Magbanua’s radio challenges, but kept insisting “they are carrying out a legitimate Coast Guard operation.”
“We have been challenging their presence through radio calls — we tell them that where they are anchored is actually part of the exclusive economic zone of our country and they do not have jurisdiction in the area,” Tarriela said.
“They are not responding to our questions as to their intention, but what they are saying is what they are doing is a legitimate operation since they have sovereignty over these waters,” he said.
The Escoda shoal lies 75 nautical miles from the coast of Palawan and is within the country’s 200-nautical mile EEZ.
Tarriela said the PCG successfully tracked the movements of the monster ship using Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection technology.
On 1 July, the ship departed Hainan and entered the Philippine EEZ on the following day.
On 3 July, the Chinese ship traveled directly to Ayungin Shoal and later proceeded to Panganiban Reef. After a few hours, it was detected heading toward Escoda Shoal.
On 5 July, the CCG vessel was spotted deploying a small boat.
The PCG sent the Teresa Magbanua on 18 April to monitor suspected Chinese reclamation in the area.
Earlier in June, the PCG had an intense confrontation with the CCG at Escoda Shoal after Chinese forces attempted to block a Philippine marine scientific research mission at the shoal.