Category: West Philippine Sea

Filipino hackers attack Chinese websites

Louie Diangson Leave a comment

Filipino hackers have attacked multiple Chinese websites in response to China’s aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea and the poaching done by several Chinese fishermen in the area.

anonymous PH_china

Filipino hacker groups led by Anonymous Philippines, Panay Cyber Haxxors, Panay Cyber Army, and Phantom Hackers PH, defaced multiple Chinese government and private websites and posted the following message:

“China’s alleged claim on maritime territories and oppressive poaching can no longer be tolerated. Stand against Opression! It’s time to fight back! Say NO to China’s Bullying!”

The Philippines is currently in territorial dispute with China over the West Philippine Sea. On May 6, 11 Chinese fishermen were arrested at Hasa-Hasa Shoal (Half Moon Shoal) by the Philippine maritime police for poaching over 500 protected sea turtles.

Hit the source link below for the list of Chinese websites affected.

{ABS-CBN News}

The post Filipino hackers attack Chinese websites appeared first on YugaTech | Philippines, Tech News & Reviews.

Survey questions the DFA did not ask

Ellen Leave a comment

Does Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario have a problem with the case filed with the United Nations Arbitral Court against China’s nine-dash line map that prompted him to commission Social Weather Stations to do a survey which focused on the case and the problem with China in the West Philippine Sea?

SWS conducted a nationwide survey among 1,550 respondents on Dec. 11 through 16.

Foreign Affairs Spokesman Raul Hernandez said they wanted to know the sentiments of the public on specific issues and the results showed that the Filipino people “overwhelmingly” support the case filed by the Philippines at the UN Arbitral Tribunal January last year.

The results could not be less than “overwhelming” what with questions like “Dahil ang Tsina ay malakas sa aspetong military at ekonomiya, sinampahan natin ng kaso ang Tsina sa United nation sa paniniwalang pantay-pantay ang labanan sa ilalim ng batas internasyunal. Sang-ayon ba kayo o hindi?” (Opinion on whether the international law is a great equalizer against countries that are stronger militarily and economically.) Answer: 77% Yes; 15 % No; 8% Don’t know.

Overwhelming approval

Overwhelming approval



Another question: “Dapat ba nating ipaglaban sa mapayapang paraan ang ating teritoryo at likas-yaman sa West Philippine Sea ayon sa saligang Batas at batas internasyunal?(Opinion whether the Philippines should defend the territory and natural resources in the West Philippine Sea through lawful means.) Answers: 93 % Yes; 2% No; 5% Don’t know.

It’s like asking someone, “Do you like your life to be good?” Or a wife asking a husband, “Would you grieve if I die?”

A reporter asked Hernandez and SWS President Mahar Mangahas why they didn’t ask respondents whether they agree to the proposal of China to talk about the territorial conflict in the West Philippine Sea bilaterally. They did not explain why that question was not included.

It would have been interesting if the respondents were asked,“If China continues to occupy other islands being claimed by the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea, would you support the use of force by the Philippine government? Would you volunteer to join the Philippine contingent?”

Mangahas said they were the ones who formulated the questions based on the objective laid out by the DFA. The questioned were approved by the DFA.

The respondents were also asked, ““Tungkol sa patuloy na pagpapalakas ng puwersang military ng Tsina sa West Philippine Sea, kayo po ba ay sang-ayon o hindi-sangayon na dapat tayong humingi ng tulong sa iba?” (Degree of Agreement that the Philippines should ask the help of others regarding China’s continuous strengthening of military forces in the West Philippine Sea?)

Answers:Strongly/Somewhat Agree (80%); Undecided If Agree or DisAgree (8%); Somewhat/Strongly Disagree (10%).

It would have been interesting to know if the respondents believe other countries will help the Philippines in case there would be armed confrontation between the Philippines and China.

Mangahas shared a survey result, not commissioned by the DFA, showing that trust in China is minus 17 as against plus 82 in the US, plus 53 in Australia, plus 47 in Japan, plus 11 in Taiwan and plus 8 in Malayisa.

Mangahas said trust in China has been negative since 2012. Last year it was minus 30, he said.

I would be interested to know the answer to the question: “Do you approve cutting diplomatic relations with China?”

I think the survey results would be included in the memorial, documents to persuade the court to rule in favor of the filer’s position, which the Philippines is set to file not later than March 30, 2014. After that, the UN Arbitral Tribunal will decide whether it has jurisdiction on the case or not.

If the UN Arbitral Tribunal says it has jurisdiction, the proceedings will continue despite the non-participation of China. If the court says otherwise, it would be a major setback for the Philippines, especially for Del Rosario, under whose watch in the DFA relations with China deteriorated.

Since China knows that no pressure would make the Philippines withdraw the UN case,it has been lobbying with other Asean countries to pressure the Philippines to delay the filing of the memorial.

The 10-member Asean,as a group, has not made a position in support of the Philippines. Individually,only Vietnam, one of the claimants in the South China Sea islands, has expressed support in the Philippine case against China but it has declined Philippine request to intervene in the case.

The United States lauded the Philippines for bringing the issue to the UN court but stressed that it is taking a neutral position on the South China Sea territorial dispute.

A guide to understanding the West Philippine Sea dispute

Ellen Leave a comment

The Primer

The Primer

The Asian Center of the University of the Philippines has come out with a very useful document: The West Philippine Sea: Territorial and Maritime Jurisdiction Disputes from a Filipino Perspective.

It’s available online: http://philippinesintheworld.org/?q=node/2227 .

Prepared under the direction of experts on the subject (Dean Eduardo T. Gonzalez of the Asian Center; Aileen S. P. Baviera, professor, Asian Center; and Jay Batongbacal, director, Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea of the UP College of Law), the timing of the primer is perfect as tension in the area continues to simmer.

The authors have succeeded in simplying the complicated topic. It covers history of the conflict and recent events. Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Panatag shoal and by its international name Scarborough Shoal (Chinese name is Huangyan island) which has been the area of conflict since the standoff April last year involving Chinese and the Philippine ships, is well covered.

Understandably, not extensively discussed is the Ayungin Shoal issue which started last month with China complaining about the not removal by the Philippine Navy of the grounded BRP Sierra Madre from the reef some 21 nautical miles away from the Chinese occupied Mischief Reef.

Although as the title states, the primer is from a “Filipino perspective”, the presentation is objective. It enlightens, it does not agitate.

The General Introduction, for example, differentiates West Philippine Sea from South China Sea. This is useful because many journalists interchange the two terms which is wrong.

The Primer says “The West Philippine Sea refers to the part of the South China Sea that is closest, and ofvital interest, to the Philippines…. It includes the Luzon Sea, as well as the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), and Bajo de Masinloc also known as Scarborough Shoal.”

The West Philippine Sea is part of the South China Sea, which the Primer says is “a much broader expanse of water, often described as a semi-enclosed sea, bounded by China/Taiwan in the north, by the Philippines in the east, and by Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Brunei in the west and south. The Gulf of Tonkin and Gulf of Thailand also abut the South China Sea. “

“Scattered over the South China Sea are various geographic features, the most prominent of which are known internationally as the Spratlys, the Paracels, Macclesfield Bank and Pratas Island. There are overlapping claims by various countries to these features and to the waters and resources surrounding them, including parts of the West Philippine Sea,” the primer says.

How about Kalayaan Island Group which journalists also often interchangeably use to refer to Spratly islands?

The Primer says “The Kalayaan Island Group (is a group of over fifty features and their surrounding waters that belong to the Philippines, located in what is internationally known as the Spratly Islands. The KIG is not the same as the Spratlys, however, as there are features in the Spratlys that are not part of the KIG.”

The authors said the primer is s intended to assist students, researchers, media practitioners, non-specialist members of the civil service, as well as the general public, in deepening their understanding of the many different issues of the West Philippine Sea disputes.

Add “Malacanang officials” to the list who need to read the primer.

A guide to understanding the West Philippine Sea dispute

Ellen Leave a comment

The Primer

The Primer

The Asian Center of the University of the Philippines has come out with a very useful document: The West Philippine Sea: Territorial and Maritime Jurisdiction Disputes from a Filipino Perspective.

It’s available online: http://philippinesintheworld.org/?q=node/2227 .

Prepared under the direction of experts on the subject (Dean Eduardo T. Gonzalez of the Asian Center; Aileen S. P. Baviera, professor, Asian Center; and Jay Batongbacal, director, Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea of the UP College of Law), the timing of the primer is perfect as tension in the area continues to simmer.

The authors have succeeded in simplying the complicated topic. It covers history of the conflict and recent events. Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Panatag shoal and by its international name Scarborough Shoal (Chinese name is Huangyan island) which has been the area of conflict since the standoff April last year involving Chinese and the Philippine ships, is well covered.

Understandably, not extensively discussed is the Ayungin Shoal issue which started last month with China complaining about the not removal by the Philippine Navy of the grounded BRP Sierra Madre from the reef some 21 nautical miles away from the Chinese occupied Mischief Reef.

Although as the title states, the primer is from a “Filipino perspective”, the presentation is objective. It enlightens, it does not agitate.

The General Introduction, for example, differentiates West Philippine Sea from South China Sea. This is useful because many journalists interchange the two terms which is wrong.

The Primer says “The West Philippine Sea refers to the part of the South China Sea that is closest, and ofvital interest, to the Philippines…. It includes the Luzon Sea, as well as the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), and Bajo de Masinloc also known as Scarborough Shoal.”

The West Philippine Sea is part of the South China Sea, which the Primer says is “a much broader expanse of water, often described as a semi-enclosed sea, bounded by China/Taiwan in the north, by the Philippines in the east, and by Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Brunei in the west and south. The Gulf of Tonkin and Gulf of Thailand also abut the South China Sea. “

“Scattered over the South China Sea are various geographic features, the most prominent of which are known internationally as the Spratlys, the Paracels, Macclesfield Bank and Pratas Island. There are overlapping claims by various countries to these features and to the waters and resources surrounding them, including parts of the West Philippine Sea,” the primer says.

How about Kalayaan Island Group which journalists also often interchangeably use to refer to Spratly islands?

The Primer says “The Kalayaan Island Group (is a group of over fifty features and their surrounding waters that belong to the Philippines, located in what is internationally known as the Spratly Islands. The KIG is not the same as the Spratlys, however, as there are features in the Spratlys that are not part of the KIG.”

The authors said the primer is s intended to assist students, researchers, media practitioners, non-specialist members of the civil service, as well as the general public, in deepening their understanding of the many different issues of the West Philippine Sea disputes.

Add “Malacanang officials” to the list who need to read the primer.

Stopping China by engagement

Ellen Leave a comment

Admiral Locklear being received by President Aquino.

Admiral Locklear being received by President Aquino.

In Bangkok last week, the commander of the United States Pacific Command, Admiral Samuel Locklear, said the usual line that their Asian allies expect from visiting American officials: we will oppose China’s expansionism.

“We will oppose the change of status quo by force of anyone,” Locklear said referring to the situation in South China Sea where China is reported to be positioning in Ayungin Reef, just 25 miles away from Mischief Reef, 130 miles away from Palawan, that China occupied in 1994.

But just like other American officials, Locklear did not commit that the US will fight China if the latter gets embroiled in violent confrontation with any of the countries in this part of the world. That’s because, in truth, the US will not because it values relations with China.

Although the US would like to contain China’s power, it would not want make an enemy of the Asian behemoth.The cordial meeting between US President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the White House this week where maritime issues were not raised affirmed that pragmatic strategy.That’s being wise. It goes without saying that it would also not want to be embroiled in a war between the Philippines and China.

Last year, a month after the standoff with China in Bajo de Masinloc (also known as Scarborough or Panatag Shoal) was broken, the cabinet agreed to send back the Bureau of Fisheries and Acquatic Resources ship because three Chinese ships remained in the area.

When the US Defense officials learned of the cabinet decision, they advised Philippines officials against it. They knew the danger of having ships of both countries in the disputed area. What happened in Balintang Channel last month where Philippine Coast Guards shot and killed a Taiwanese fisherman demonstrates the risks.

China policy is “We will not attack unless we are attacked; but we will surely counterattack if attacked.” We would not dare imagine the scenario if Chinese ships were involved.

Locklear, the wire reports said, advised compromise in the South China Sea conflict. He said the US would not take sides and stressed the importance of a code of conduct that would govern activities in the South China Sea.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations has approved the elements to be included in the COC. What is needed is for China to agree to sit down and begin the talks on the COC.

The Philippines has brought the issue China’s expansionism to the United Nations where it asked the Arbitral Court to declare as illegal China’s nine-dash-line map. The decision is expected in three to four years time.

Meanwhile, what can the Philippines do to stop China from moving into disputed islets in West Philippine Sea?

Given that the we cannot match China might, retired Ambassador Lauro Baja, Jr., who was the Philippines’ permanent representative to the UN, advised that the Philippine should not exclude the option of engaging China.

He said: “We must re-examine our position against bilateral approach to dialogue on West Philippine Sea issues, especially those are really bilateral in context and where other countries have no dog in the dogfight.

Baja said the Bajo the Masinloc is a classic bilateral case. Only the Philippines and China are involved unlike other islets in the Spratlys that are claimed also by Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.

We have seen it that lip service is the only support other countries would give the Philippines in a direct conflict with China. The Philippines should wise up and learn more mature ways in dealing with China.