DND chief mulls asking US to inform PH of troop movement in West PH Sea

CAMP SIONGCO, Maguindanao -- The Philippine government is mulling on requiring US military to inform the country first of any surveillance movement in disputed waters in Scarborough after Chinese Navy intercepted an underwater drone, the Ocean Slider three days ago triggering a further discord between two superpower nations.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said he was shocked when the US counterpart told him about the seized underwater drone by the Chinese Navy Warship this lately.
US reported to us, for your information unmanned vehicle was taken by the Chinese, so I responded, so you conduct activity there without our knowledge, Lorenzana told reporters.
I think one of these days we will require US to inform us what they are doing there, he added.Lorenzana said though it is not beyond the claimed territorial waters, it is still part of the Exclusive Economic Zone (ECC) of Philippine government. A US Navy official counterpart told him what they are doing are part of military information gathering of oceanographic data such as salinity, water temperature and sound speed.Lorenzana said he was convinced by the explanation.

However, he said the Philippine government was worried about implications to the country if the situation worsens between the two superpower nations. We are very concerned if magkaroon ng miscalculation ng dalawang superpower, pati tayo makasama dyan, napakalapit lang around 15 miles, magugulo ang ating environment, they must settle the differences amicably and diplimatically, he stressed.
However Lorenzana admits, Philippine government is not equipped to monitor the underwater activities of either US or China but he said he will still try to inform these countries to inform Philippine counterparts about their maritime activities except the free passage of their water vehicles.
Di naman natin alam ano ang ginagawa nila, wala naman tayong ways to find out what they are doing there, we allow them to pass, even ang China mayroon din silang ginagawa dyan, we will try to ask them to inform us of any other activity except innocent passage, Lorenzana said.Philippine and US have a 50 year old mutual defense treaty but the close relationship dwindled lately after the President Duterte hit US President Barack Obama over his interfering over PH warn on drugs and linking the President to extra-judicial killings.While Duterte has sour relationship with Obama, Duterte made this lately a warm relationship with China’s and has received grants of over 24 billion USD during his recent visit.Duterte publicly said he will realign his alliance and announced his separation from United States both in military and economic interests.Lorenzana was in Camp Siongco 6th Army Division Monday to honor gallant soldiers and visit the the wounded who formed part of the war on drugs.He also graced the presentation of confiscated cache of firearms, ammunitions and other logistics used by syndicated groups in Central Mindanao.