By Ronron
May 19, 2006
The Philippines, China and Vietnam have agreed to be in constant contact with each other following the alleged attack by suspected pirates on a Chinese fishing vessel late April in the waters of the disputed Spratly’s island.
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Generoso Senga said the agreement was arrived at during his official visits last week to China and Vietnam.
“I just came from a meeting with the chiefs of Defense forces of China and Vietnam and we have agreed that we will continue our direct communication and direct cooperation in the area so that these problems in the area … that are bothering all of us in common will be resolved,” Senga told reporters in a chance interview Friday in Camp Aguinaldo.
Among the “issues and concerns” he cited are piracy, smuggling, and other transnational crimes.
Senga reiterated that the attackers of a Chinese fishing vessel last month was definitely not a Philippine military vessel, as announced earlier by AFP Public Information Officer Col. Tristan Kison, quoting AFP Western Command chief Rear Admiral Tirso Danga.
“It was already determined that no AFP vessel was there, no Philippine Navy vessel was there… Apparently, they were pirates,” Senga said of the suspects in the attack that resulted in the death of four Chinese crew members and the wounding of three others.
Senga could not say, however, if the pirates were Filipinos or of other nationalities.
Spratly’s, which is believed to be rich in oil deposits aside from its abundant marine resources, is being claimed in parts by the Philippines, China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia./DMS
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