PERRYSCOPE

Perry Diaz

Last August 10, 2015, the new Philippine Navy Commander took his oath before President Benigno Aquino III.  Aquino's marching orders clearly outlined what he expected the new commander, Rear Admiral Caesar Taccad, to accomplish during his tenure.  

Taccad's marching orders were to balance the navy s resources and capabilities to secure the country s territorial waters while the government is trying to rearm it amid rising tensions in the West Philippine Sea.  It sounds like a simple and straightforward order but given the state of the Philippine Navy (PN), it s a tall order because the capability of the PN can be characterized as impotently incapable of defending the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Philippines.    

During the change of command ceremony, Taccad vowed to defend the country s maritime domain from China s aggressive moves.  He said that he would work for “stable, productive and constructive relationships” with the navies of other countries to preserve peace in the region.  ”We will continue to protect our seas and secure the future of our nation and its people. We shall continue to be a dependable naval force, prompt in response and sharp in action,” he said.  

He also promised, “I shall steer the Philippine Navy towards continued transformation, modernization, professionalization and overall progress in order to provide the maritime defense and security that is expected from a strong and formidable navy.”  It seems like it was the appropriate response to Aquino s marching orders.  But what else could he have said?

Faux pas

But when he shared his personal views, they ran counter to the Philippines  position in her territorial disputes with China.  He said that he did not see any expansion from China.  And when asked about China s aggression in the Spratly archipelago   where China built artificial islands on seven reefs   he said,  ”They have been there for a long time and they are guarding what they think is their interest in the South China Sea. No expansion is happening. They are just pursuing their interest.”

And in an apparent attempt to drive his viewpoint home, Taccad said that the “prevailing security in the disputed archipelago is much better compared with the past.”  He added, “It s much heated before. I think we are in a better position now. We are communicating with China, and more or less not as threatened as before. You know what they are trying to do and we try to maintain more or less peaceful co-existence or settlement of what issue we have.”

Taccad's comments probably rankled Aquino who was seated behind him as he spoke, which makes one wonder: How 

can Taccad wholeheartedly   and competently — execute Aquino s marching orders to secure the country s territorial waters against China s aggressive moves in the Spratly Islands when they re in conflict with his own beliefs?  

And this led me to believe that Taccad wasn't fully vetted for the j ob.  Surmise it to say, Aquino might not have interviewed him personally for the job, particularly on Taccad s personal views and positions on the problems the Philippines is facing in the South China Sea (SCS) vis-à-vis China s claim of “indisputable sovereignty” over the SCS.  Had Aquino done that, Taccad would have failed the “litmus test” for the job. 

What is the truth?

The following narrative refutes Taccad s unfounded

Assertions:   

             1)  ”No [Chinese] expansion is happening.” — Chinese aggression and expansion began in 1994 when China took possession of the Panganiban (Mischief) Reef and Subi Reef, both of which are within the Philippines  exclusive economic zone (EEZ).  In 2012, China grabbed Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.  Recently, China deployed a Coast Guard ship near the grounded BRP Sierra Madre manned by a contingent of Philippine Marines protecting the Ayungin Shoal.  The Chinese ship was blocking Philippine troop rotations and re-supplying them.

              2) ”They [Chinese] have been there for a long time and they are guarding what they think is their interest in the South China Sea.”   Recently, Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio showed several ancient Chinese territorial maps.  The maps proved that the most southern Chinese territory was Hainan Island.  It is located northeast of Vietnam in the SCS.  The maps also proved that China didn t have any territory beyond Hainan, including the Spratlys and Panatag Shoal.

In 2010, Xi Jinping   who is now China s President, Chairman of the Chinese Communist Party s Politburo, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission   chaired the group responsible for China s South China Sea policy.  Through Xi s group s recommendation, China issued a statement concerning her core interests, which was expanded to include South China Sea, East China Sea, and Yellow Sea.  

The claim to “indisputable sovereignty” over these waters included the islands, fisheries, and subterranean

minerals housed in them.  China used the “nine-dash line”   an imaginary tongue-shaped line demarcating China s maritime claims   to justify her sovereignty over the three seas.

              3)  ”We are communicating with China, and more or less not as threatened as before.” This is not true.  The only time that the Philippines had officially communicated with China was when Aquino sent Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV to China — by way of backdoor channels — was in 2012 after she grabbed Panatag.  The Chinese agreed to withdraw their ships from the shoal provided the Philippines withdraws her ships, too.  The Philippines agreed and withdrew her ships.  

But instead of doing the same, China sent more ships and then roped off the only entrance to the shoal s lagoon, thus preventing Philippine ships and fishing boats from gaining entry.  Today, China has de facto possession of Panatag.  

                

               4)  ”Prevailing security in the disputed archipelago is much better compared with the past.” — This is pure hogwash!  With China building seven artificial islands less than 200 miles from Palawan, two of which have runways that could accommodate China s largest warplanes and deep harbors where huge warships could moor, any part of the Philippines is within reach of China s warplanes and ballistic missiles within minutes of launching. 

                5)  ”You know what they are trying to do and we try to maintain more or less peaceful co-existence or settlement of what issue we have”   Yes, we know what they re trying to do.  But for the Philippines to co-exist with an invader is tantamount to capitulation without putting up a fight just like what happened to Panatag.  And the “settlement” that China would only agree to is through bilateral negotiations.  But China has put a heavy price for bilateral talks; that is, the Philippines has to recognize China s “indisputable sovereignty” over the West Philippine Sea.  That is called “surrender”!

Retraction

               

And this begs the question: Can the Philippines afford to have a Naval Commander who kowtows to China?  With the United Nations arbitral tribunal currently reviewing the Philippines  claim that the “nine-dash line” is illegal, this is not the time for the Philippine Navy s top honcho to make statements that China could use to propagandize the validity of her “indisputable sovereignty” over the South China Sea.   

               

The best thing that Taccad could do now to repair any damage done to the Philippines  claim before the arbitral tribunal is to retract his toxic statements.  He owes his loyalty to Aquino, but he also owes his loyalty to Aquino s bosses: the Filipino people. (PerryDiaz@gmail.com)