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MANILA (INVESTIGATOR DIARIO DE FILIPINAS / ASIA NEWS NETWORK) – The Philippine Navy opposes a plan by the government of Cavite, a populous province on the south coast of Manila Bay, to expel the command from Sangley Point’s military service in the province as part of a 500 billion pesos (S $ 14 billion) airport project that is expected to ease congestion at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) in neighboring Manila.
Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo, the flag officer in command of the Navy, cited in particular the participation in the project by China Communications Construction Co (CCCC), one of the Chinese companies recently banned by the United States for its alleged role in the illegal construction of artificial facilities. islands in maritime accidents in the South China Sea, including the Western Philippine Sea within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.
The proposed Sangley Point International Airport (SPIA), started by Cavite, is a joint venture between CCCC and MacroAsia of Taipan Lucio Tan. Last week, President Rodrigo Duterte gave the green light to Chinese companies included in the US blacklist. to participate in the infrastructure programs of the Philippines.
Bacordo said that the reported role of CCCC in the militarization of the South China Sea had surprised retired and active security officials on the SPIA project.
They want to maintain the Navy presence at Sangley Point, a strategically located former US naval base, he said.
“We want to stay there to make sure there are no security breaches,” he told Inquirer.net over the weekend.
STRATEGIC POSITION
Sangley’s location also allows the Navy, the naval warfare service branch of the army, to conduct surveillance operations and use it as a staging point.
“Guard the entrance to Manila Bay and Manila Bay is the center of gravity of the national government. If Manila falls, the whole country falls,” Bacordo said.
“We want to stay there because we want to guard the entrance to Manila Bay.”
But while the Navy is firmly against the Sangley eviction plan, Bacordo clarified that he was not against the SPIA project itself.
“The project can continue … We can coexist in Sangley without necessarily kicking ourselves out,” he said.
He declined to comment on the Philippine government’s agreements with Chinese companies for its flagship infrastructure projects, saying it was “beyond the purview” of the Navy.
In February, Duterte inaugurated the Sangley airport, which has a 2.4km runway that would be used for turboprop and general aviation cargo operations.
Construction of new facilities, such as a passenger terminal building, hangars and drainage system, began in late 2018.
In June 2019, the president ordered the immediate transfer of domestic flight operations to Sangley Point after a thunderstorm delayed and diverted the domestic and international flights of thousands of passengers at Naia.
SPOTTY REGISTER
In October of last year, the airport began operating dry and had its first cargo flight.
The ACM’s uneven track record has also raised questions about the advisability of allowing its participation in the main infrastructure plan.
The World Bank had previously banned the CCCC and its subsidiaries due to fraudulent practices, according to various reports.
Citing sources involved in the SPIA project tender, the Inquirer reported in January that the tender process had favored CCCC from the beginning, but Malacañang and the Cavite government downplayed the accusations.
CLAIM OF THE CANACAO BAY
Immediately after the recent announcement by the United States about its commercial blacklist of Chinese companies linked to the construction of islands in the South China Sea, Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr said that he would recommend the termination of government contracts with them. companies, but then backed down after the president decided to do so. go ahead with infrastructure projects.
The Navy is also concerned about the SPIA plan to reclaim nearly 75 percent of Cañacao Bay, the site of the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War.
The Cavite provincial government said it would seek a proposal to transform the gateway into a US $ 10 billion (S $ 13 billion) international air hub.
This will include a massive land reclamation component and will be funded in part by Chinese companies.
“Instead of going south of 1898 Avenue and claiming Cañacao Bay, why not claim the site to the north so that everything south of 1898 Avenue is still occupied by the Navy?” Bacordo said.
Because of its historical importance, he said the bay “should be dredged and preserved in all its glory” rather than reclaimed.
“During the American days, big ships could come in and dock there,” he said.
The vital facilities of the Philippine Navy, the Philippine Fleet, the Naval Maritime Systems Command and the Naval Installation Command are all stationed at Sangley Point.
Some Navy personnel and their families also live in a nearby community.
According to the initial development plan released by the Cavite government, the Philippine Navy is completely out of the picture.
“If you look at the plan for SPIA, they will cover all of Sangley, in addition to claiming about three-quarters of Cañacao Bay,” he said.
He added: “We are not really there from their perspective.”
In December last year, Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla said he would propose that the Philippine Air Force “co-use” the SPIA to alleviate security concerns. He made no mention of the Philippine Navy.
POSITION PAPER
Bacordo said the Navy had submitted a position paper to the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense in March to formalize its position on the SPIA project.
“The AFP chief of staff endorsed the document favorably to the SND (Secretary of National Defense) and the SND agrees with the position of the AFP,” he said.
Defense Secretary Delfín Lorenzana later authorized the Navy to consult with the Cavite government, Bacordo said.
An initial online discussion took place in August between the Navy and the provincial government, but the issues have yet to be fully resolved.
“Before this Covid-19 pandemic, we were supposed to sit down, but it never happened … I am looking forward to having fruitful discussions that began in August,” the Navy chief said.
He reiterated that the command was not against the SPIA project.
“We just want a win-win solution. Leave something for us for the Navy,” he said.
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