Philippine close deal for ISRAEL MISSILE SYSTEM after USA dishonored MDT for China's invasion in Scarborough

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin will arrive Israel this week to close the deal with surface-to-air missiles or multiple launch rocket systems were being offered by Israel's  Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. "SAMs and MLRS are mobile anti-aircraft weapons designed against jet fighters," Delivery would take around 3 - 6 months and expected to be already in the Philippines on or before December 2013 

While the Philippines keeps hoping for USA to come for a rescue and honor the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) during the china's invasion in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, USA opted not to side with the Philippines but take its neutral stance proving that the USA-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty is futile. The very important decision of USA proves that they could not honor what they have signed for the Philippines.

In its territorial dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), the Philippines has tended to look to the United States for help, a mindset that, according to an Ateneo professor, should be "emancipated" from if it is to assert its independence.

As published by the Inquirer (June 11) Expert says Philippines can't rely on US vs China it has been proven by the action by the Washington not siding to the Philippines during the china's invasion in the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

The Philippines as an independent country must have to learn itself how to defend from bully and how to guard its sovereignty. The US-Philippine Defense Alliance is just for business and defense supply not fighting with the Philippines when it comes to war as USA clearly said as "Philippines is a Strategic Alliance of the USA which mean everything would end up into Strategy not action or actual protection.

USA indeed helps the Philippines by providing training and support against the international Abu sayaff terrorists linked to Al qaeda but USA is not allowed to fight with the Philippines as it is against the Philippine constitution.

While previous administrations are not interested in upgrading the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Pnoy is a big brother twists the past into a new face of the AFP by providing a slice of budget for the upgrade of the Philippine armament.

And here it comes a new interest of "SAMs and MLRS are mobile anti-aircraft weapons designed against jet fighters," from Israel is scheduled to close deal within this week and expected to arrive the Philippines by September to December 2013.

Philippine Closing Deal with Israel' Missile System

Amid rising tensions over territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea and the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine government is eyeing to close deal for the purchase of anti-aircraft guided missiles from Israel.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the surface-to-air missiles or multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) were being offered by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd. and Israel Military Industries Ltd., both based in Israel.

"SAMs and MLRS are mobile anti-aircraft weapons designed against jet fighters," the source said, adding that these had been suggested some time ago but had not been taken seriously because the defense establishment had no interest in investing at the time.

"Now, here comes the territorial dispute in the West Philippine Sea, and at last they've opened their eyes," the source added.

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin will arrive Israel this week (3^rd Week of June 2013) to close the deal with the prospective suppliers.

"If you have an agreement this would hasten the procurement process, say in three to six months you would already have the weapons. The agreement gives you the leeway to access all the information you want know about a particular weapon you want to procure," the source said.

Manila Standard tried to reach Defense Undersecretary Fernando Manalo and spokesman Peter Paul Galvez for confirmation, but both did not return calls or answer text messages.

In his first year in office, President Benigno Aquino III had released ₱75 billion to fund the upgrading of the military's capability through the procurement of ships and aircraft.

Gazmin then said they had some 138 big-ticket defense items that were being considered on a government-to-government procurement basis.

Part of this buildup was the recent procurement of the BRP Ramon Alcaraz, a rehabilitated US Coast Guard cutter introduced in the 1960s.

The refurbished cutter, procured for will be the country's most modern warship and is expected to arrive in July or August.

But Senator Gregorio Honasan seemed unimpressed with the extent of help offered by the United States, and called for a review of the US Visiting Forces Agreement and the Mutual Defense Treaty, which he described as useless.

"We are not getting anything out of it. We have many international economic, military and security arrangements with other nations but why did they not say anything while the Scarborough Shoal standoff was heating up?" said the former Army colonel.

Because of this, Honasan said the country should abrogate all treaties that do nothing to help the country.

At the same time, however, he said a joint fishing agreement with Taiwan would be beneficial because it would afford protection to fishermen from both countries.

His remarks follow the May 9 fatal shooting of a Taiwanese fisherman by Philippine Coast Guard personnel in the Balintang Channel that soured relations between Taiwan and the Philippines.

Also on Friday, the Foreign Affairs Department said it welcomed the filing of a resolution in the US Senate in support of a peaceful resolution to territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

"We understand that the resolution has yet to undergo the necessary congressional process before it is passed by the US Senate, nonetheless, we extend our appreciation on the mere fact that some US senators have deigned it necessary to express their views on a fundamental issue that affects the peace and stability of the Asia-Pacific region," the department said in a statement.

"The Philippines especially appreciates the reaffirmation of the peaceful resolution of disputes, including through arbitration; its condemnation of the use of threat or use of force; its recognition of the significance of the role of ASEAN and of the code of conduct; and its support for the ongoing and deepening efforts of the US in the region relating to ensuring freedom of navigation, maintenance of peace and stability, and respect for universally recognized principles of international law."

With Report from Manila Standard Today and Israel defense

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National Security Council recommending $3 Billion USD Annual Defense Budget; 18 Chinese maritime ships intrude Philippine territory

$2.84472 Billion USD or ₱122,322,960,000 Billion Philippine Peso is required Annual Defense Budget to Defend the Philippine Territory. Photo - Panatag Shoal / PhilSTAR

Deputy Director –General of the National Security Council Secretariat urge the government to raise the Annual Defense budget to 1% of the total GDP of the Philippines.

In 2013, Philippine GDP is $284.472 Billion US Dollar of which 1% or $2.84 Billion USD annual defense budget is required to have a minimum credible deterrent power to block intruders.

18 Chinese maritime ships operating within Philippine territory

About 18 Chinese vessels are intruding into Philippine territory, raising the need to pour more resources to defense spending, a security official said Thursday.

Vicente Agdamag, Deputy Director-General of the National Security Council Secretariat, said the deployment of the ships is in line with China's aim to consolidate its control over the West Philippine Sea.

"Right now, there are 18 maritime surveillance ships operating in our area," Agdamag said during the Air Force's Air Power Symposium 2013 in Pasay city.

Agdamag did not say what types of ships were deployed and where they are located. He, however, enumerated incidents showcasing China's aggressive behavior in the West Philippine Sea.

These include the imposition by China of an "exclusion zone" in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, which is well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

The shoal, also known as Bajo de Masinloc, is 124 nautical miles from the nearest point in Zambales province.

 "Lately, we received reports that surveillance ships are imposing a 24-kilometer wide ban on the fishing area so in fact, they are imposing an exclusion zone already in Bajo de Masinloc," Agdamag said.

Chinese occupation of the Panatag Shoal began on April 10, 2012, when surveillance vessels from Beijing prevented the Philippine Navy from arresting Chinese fishermen who had poached endangered marine species.

Other incidents enumerated by Agdamag were:

The challenging by a Chinese patrol ship of a vessel conducting a survey for Forum Energy about 85 nautical miles off Palawan in March 2011

The grounding of a Chinese Navy frigate on Hasahasa Shoal, which is 60 nautical miles from Rizal, Palawan on July 11, 2012

China's establishment of Sansha City in Woody Island to exercise administrative control over areas in West Philippine Sea last year. The Woody Island is about 460 nautical miles from Zambales coast

China's announcement in November 2012 that Hainan police would board foreign vessels in disputed areas

The harassment by Chinese ships of a vessel carrying Pag-asa Island Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon in November 2012. The mayor and his companions experienced a similar harassment on May 16, the ship (ML Queen Seagull) of KIG Mayor Eugenio Bito-onon with 154 passengers and 14 crew as harassed by Chinese naval ships within the vicinity of Ayungin

The conduct of patrols and training missions of a squadron of three People's Liberation Army (PLA) vessels last February

The deployment of modern warships by the PLA last March to carry out training missions in the Bashi Channel

The conduct of an eight-day military drill in Spratlys by Chinese forces also last March. One destroyer, two frigates, an amphibious ship, amphibious tanks and land-based fighters participated in the drill

last April 21, based on aerial surveillance, five China maritime law enforcement agency ships, four China maritime surveillance vessels with bow number 262, 263, 72, 75 and one FLEC with bow number 302 were monitored south of Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag shoal,

Bigger defense spending sought

Agdamag cited the need to hike the budget for defense spending to enable the country to have a minimum deterrent capability, which he defined as a capability that imposes a risk that a hostile force would find unacceptable.

He recommended increasing the investment for defense by 0.5 percent to 1 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP). The GDP is the sum of all products and services produced by an economy in a given period. It indicates the size of an economy.

Agdamag said at present, defense spending is just equivalent to 1.1 percent of the ₱ 2.006 trillion national budget.

"We are recommending an additional of 0.5 to one percent not only to be at par with our neighbors and more importantly to develop a modicum of a credible defense capability to protect our maritime and strategic interest," he said.

"We need to enhance to our security alliance with our allies and our neighbors especially the United States," he added.

China has been constructing structures in disputed areas to assert its territorial claims, triggering concerns among other claimants in the region.

It has built a military garrison in the Mischief Reef or Panganiban Reef, one of the areas being claimed by the Philippines. Mischief Reef, which is about 70 nautical miles from Palawan, has been occupied by China since 1995.

China initially built structures on stilts at the reef, supposedly to provide shelter for fishermen but these were later on converted into a military garrison with powerful radars.

China has also installed a powerful radar station in Subi Reef, an islet 12 nautical miles southwest of Pag-Asa Island, which is part of Kalayaan Island. The Chinese began constructing the four-story structure, including a lighthouse about seven years ago.

China has also sent ships in the Ayungin Shoal, another Philippine-owned area located 105.77 nautical miles from Palawan.

With report from philStar, Manila Standard Today, and GMA News

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Philippine NBI recommend filing Criminal Charges Against PCG who defend the Philippine Territory ; killing Taiwanese Poacher

NBI Recommend filing Criminal Charges to Philippine Coast Guard that shoot dead Taiwanese poacher to the Philippines territory. Philippine Coast Guard slam the NBI's recommendation as they are just doing their job per order to defend the Philippine territory. The shooting incident occurred 79.2km Island of Luzon in the Philippine territory and 316.8km from Taiwan. Photo from INQUIRER

A Philippine government's investigating body has recommended the filing of criminal charges against several members of the Philippine Coast Guard for the death of a Taiwanese fisherman off northern Luzon in the Philippine Sea on May 9.

In a report sent to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) identified the Philippine Coast Guard personnel who fired their guns on the Taiwanese fishing vessel, the Guan Ta Hsin 28, including the person whose bullet fatally killed Hung Shih chen, the Inquirer quoted an unnamed source as saying.

"The shooter was identified through a cross-match between the slug recovered from Hung's body during autopsy and the signature of the coast guard's M14 rifle," the source explained, adding that Justice Secretary Leila de Lima has received just a "thin report" because the annexes have yet to be forwarded to her.

The NBI has not specified if the coast guards would be charged with murder or homicide because of unresolved debates over the Philippine Coast Guard using "superior strength versus the Taiwanese fishermen," and that the killing of the Taiwanese fisherman was "not premeditated," said the source.

The Philippine Coast Guard said the shooting targeted the engine of the Taiwanese fishing boat to stop it from trying to ram the coast guard's vessel.

The shooting incident occurred 79.2km off island of Luzon in the Philippine territory and 316.8km from Taiwan, the source said. It was earlier identified as the Balintang Channel off northern Luzon.

The report has been forwarded to President Benigno Aquino, said Justice Secretary de Lima who refused to give more details. The presidential palace has not made an official statement regarding the matter.

The Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), the de facto embassy of the Philippines in Taiwan, including the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office (TECO), the de facto embassy of Taiwan in Manila have not confirmed receiving copies of the report.

The family of the Taiwanese fishermen has already filed murder charges against the Philippine Coast Guard in Pingtung County District Attorney's Office in southern Taiwan.

Two investigating bodies from the Philippines and Taiwan held parallel probes on the incident last week.

Taiwan demanded an official apology from the Philippine government, but rejected President Aquino's apology when he said the killing was not intentional.

Taiwan also demanded compensation for Hung's family and punishment for those who shot him.

Taiwan also froze new jobs for Filipino workers in Taiwan; suspended tourist travel to the Philippines; and temporarily ended trade and cultural exchanges with the Philippines.

With reports sources from BBC News, Gulf News and Philippine Daily Inquirer

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