Tag Archives: china

China builds radar on Spratly islands

oil

BEIJING: China is installing radar facilities on its artificial islands in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), an American think tank has said, in a move that could “significantly change” the operational landscape.

Satellite imagery of Cuarteron Reef on Spratly islands released by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) shows what appears to be a high-frequency radar installation, as well as a lighthouse, underground bunker, helipad and other communications equipment.

The photographs come only a week after US officials said China had deployed surface-to-air missiles on the Paracel islands further north, and with tensions mounting in the strategically vital region.

“Placement of a high frequency radar on Cuarteron Reef would significantly bolster China’s ability to monitor surface and air traffic coming north from the Malacca Straits and other strategically important channels,” said CSIS’s Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative.

Images of other small reefs nearby that China has transformed into artificial islands — Gaven, Hughes and Johnson South — revealed other features identified by CSIS as possible radar towers, gun emplacements, bunkers, helipads and quays.

CSIS said while earlier deployment of HQ-9 surface-to-air missiles was “notable,” it “does not alter the military balance in the South China Sea.”

But it went on: “New radar facilities being developed in the Spratlys, on the other hand, could significantly change the operational landscape.”

The US had in recent months sent warships to sail within 12 nautical miles — the usual territorial limit around natural land — of a disputed island and one of China’s artificial constructions in what it says is a defense of the right to free passage.

Beijing claims almost the whole of the South China Sea — through which a third of the world’s oil passes — while several other littoral states have competing claims, as does Taiwan.

Last week, China confirmed it had placed “weapons” on Woody Island in the Paracels, defending what it said was its sovereign right to do so.

Beijing says it defends the right to freedom of navigation, and insists its island-building aims to provide public goods, such as search and rescue facilities, but maintains it has the right to deploy necessary “self-defense” capabilities.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi was heading to Washington on Tuesday for talks with US Secretary of State John Kerry, where the issue was expected to be on the agenda. – M. Times

Palace mum on US plan to station warships, planes in region

At least for now, Malacañang is not commenting on reported plans by the United States to station warships and combat planes in parts of Southeast Asia to combat possible threats from China.

Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Palace would rather wait for the policy to be formally announced before it makes a comment.

“Nothing is on the table yet, plano ang sinabi (it’s just a reported plan for now). Let’s wait until it is announced as a formal move or formal policy,” she said on government-run dzRB radio.

Earlier reports said the US Navy plans to station several new coastal combat ships in Singapore and perhaps in the Philippines in coming years.

Such moves are likely to fuel China’s fears of being encircled and pressured in the South China Sea row, the reports said.

Last month, the United States and Australia announced plans to deepen the US military presence in the Asia-Pacific, with 2,500 US Marines operating out of a de facto base in Darwin in northern Australia.

The US Navy will increasingly focus on the strategic “maritime crossroads” of the Asia-Pacific region, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert wrote in the December issue of Proceedings, published by the US Naval Institute.

He said the navy planned to “station several of our newest littoral combat ships at Singapore’s naval facility,” in addition to plans announced by President Barack Obama to start rotational deployments of marines to Darwin from next year.

Littoral combat ships are shallow draft vessels that operate in coastal waters and can counter coastal mines, quiet diesel submarines and small, fast, armed boats.

“Our ships in Singapore will conduct cooperative counter-piracy or counter-trafficking operations around the South China Sea,” Greenert wrote.

“Similarly, 2025 may see P-8A Poseidon aircraft or unmanned broad area maritime surveillance aerial vehicles periodically deploy to the Philippines or Thailand to help those nations with maritime domain awareness,” he added.

The report cited one source briefed on navy plans as saying there has also been discussion about stationing ships in the Philippines.

China and the Philippines are among six claimants to the Spratly Islands, the others being Taiwan, Brunei, Vietnam, and Malaysia. — LBG, GMA News

2 hired killers shot dead in N. Ecija

Two suspected hired killers were shot dead in Nueva Ecija Tuesday night.

Muñoz Police Chief Superintendent Pedro Soliva said police noticed two armed men sitting on a parked motorcycle along Muñoz-Lupao road. The police approached the suspects, identified as John Parica and Ruben Baldovino, but they suddenly fled the scene.

The police chased the suspects, and were killed in a brief exchange of fire.

Police recovered 2 caliber .45 pistols from the two and a sketch showing the direction to a barangay captain’s house. This led them to suspect that the barangay captain was the target of the slain suspects.

Initial police investigation revealed that Parica was a leader of a group of hired killers. He is also included in the list of most wanted criminals in the province. – reports from Edwin Sevidal, dzMM; Nica Tomines, ABS-CBN News Pangasinan

Pinoy abducted in Afghanistan ‘tortured’

Nanginginig sa takot ang pamilya ni Mark Ramos nang dumulog sa ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel (TFC) office sa Dubai.

Pakiramdam nila ay halos ubos na ang pasensya ng mga kidnapper na dumukot sa 27 taong gulang na si Mark, isang procurement logistics worker sa Copenhagen Construction Company sa Kandahar.

Dinukot si Mark noong January 7 nitong taon, isang araw bago sana ang kanyang bakasyon sa Dubai kung saan naroon ang kanyang magulang.

Madalas tumatawag ang kidnapper pero ayaw magpakilala at kung anong grupo sila.

Nasa $50,000 ang ransom na hinihingi ng mga kidnapper.

Gusto nila may paunang $10,000 para sa proof of life o pagpapatunay na buhay ang biktima sa pamamagitan ng pag-uusap sa telepono ng pamilya.

“Kailangan daw bayaran namin ‘yung mga naging nagastos nila sa anak ko, malaki ang nagastos nila,” sabi ng tatay ni Mark na si Eduard Ramos.

Isang video ang ipinakita sa amin ng kapatid ni Mark na ipinadala sa kanila ng mga kidnapper.

Tingin ni April Kay ay sinabuyan ng asido ang mukha ng kanyang kapatid at pinagaling muna bago kinunan ng video.

“I am Mark working for Copenhagen. Michael, please help me,” sabi ni Mark sa video.

“Pinutol daw po ‘yung isang daliri [ni Mark] dahil tumatakas daw po,” sabi ng kapatid ni Mark na si April Kay.

Kinuwestiyon ni Mang Eduard ang management ng kumpanya kung bakit pinalabas ng compound si Mark ng walang kaukulang military escort.

Sagot lamang ng kumpanya ay hanggang $15,000 para sa pagpapalaya ng biktima.

Umapila ang pamilya kay Vice President Jejomar Binay para tumulong man lamang sa negosasyon sa pagpapalaya ni Mark. Para sa Middle East News Bureau, Danny Buenafe, Patrol ng Pilipino, Dubai

Illegally-cut Narra logs seized in Agusan

Authorities seized 141 pieces of illegally-cut Narra logs in Agusan del Norte.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) – Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) seized the logs in a checkpoint in Nasipit town.

The 141 pieces of logs, with a volume of 2,700 board feet, were being transported on a tire truck owned by a bus company.

The truck came from Butuan City and was bound for Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental.

Cenro officer Vicente Cembrano said the truck driver was not able to show proper documentation for the Narra logs.

The bus company’s owners are facing a charge of violating Section 68 of the Presidential Decree Number 705, or the the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines. – report from Richmond Hinayon, ABS-CBN News Caraga

Passenger vessel hits barge in Cebu

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE) – A passenger vessel rammed a barge in Cebu province Wednesday morning, a coast guard official said.

Cebu Coast Guard Commander Rolando Punzalan said MV Light Ferry 8 hit barge Ironman which was docked in Bantolinao Point in Lapu-Lapu City at 4:05 a.m.

No one was hurt among the vessel’s 221 passengers and 44 crew members.

The vessel came from Ormoc City in Leyte and was bound for Cebu City.

An investigation is ongoing to determine how the sea collision happened. – report from June Perez, dzMM

Magnitude 4 quake hits Biliran

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Earthquake information map courtesy of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs)

MANILA, Philippines – A magnitude 4 earthquake struck off Biliran province in southern Philippines before dawn Wednesday, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said.

The earthquake, which was tectonic in origin, occurred just 3 kilometers (kms) southeast of the province’s capital of Naval at 3:31 a.m. It struck at a depth of 8 kms.

Intensity IV was felt in Naval.

No damage or aftershocks were reported.

A separate report from the US Geological Survey (USGS) measured the magnitude of the earthquake at 4.7.

Fire razes 15 houses in Cagayan de Oro

A fire hit a residential area in Cagayan de Oro City before dawn Wednesday, affecting at least 15 houses.

The fire broke out in Block 3 Piang Puti, Barangay Macabalan at 3:15 a.m. It reportedly started at the house of a certain Felimon Datiel, whose house had no power supply and was only using a lamp.

The fire spread quickly, since the houses were mostly made of light materials.

Firefighters also had a hard time extinguishing the blaze because the area was cramped.

The fire was declared under control at 4:08 a.m. No one was reported hurt in the incident.

The damage from the fire was estimated at P1.7 million. – reports from Rod Bolivar, ABS-CBN News Northern Mindanao; and Fred Dellava, dzMM

Pampanga drugstores raided for selling unregistered medicines

Authorities have raided 3 drugstores in Pampanga province for selling unregistered medical products of a large pharmaceutical company.

Officials of the National Bureau of Investigation-Intellectual Property Rights Division (NBI-IPRD) swooped down on 2 Edes Drugstores in San Roque, Lubao and Farmacia Calaguas in Maharlika Road, Angeles City for selling unregistered products of United Laboratories, Inc. (UNILAB).

According to Joel Tovera, executive officer of NBI-IPRD, UNILAB filed a complaint against the drugstores for selling unregistered over-the-counter drugs such as Biogesic, Aspilets, Diatabs, Bioflu, and Neozep, among others.

The owners of the drugstores will face charges for violating Republic Act 8293 or the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines. — Report from Maan Macapagal, ABS-CBN News

MILF peace panel appoints 2 consultants

The Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has added 2 members to its peace panel, an official announced Tuesday.

MILF Vice Chair for Political Affairs Ghazali Jaafar said the additions, both women, are experts in their respective fields of interest.

Jaafar said the MILF leadership has appointed Atty. Raiza Jajurie, a Tausug from Sulu province and an active member of a non-government organization (NGO), as one of the consultants of the MILF peace panel together with Bai Cabaybay Abubakar, an academician who owns and manages a school in Cotabato City.

Jaafar clarified that Jajurie and Abubakar will not be regular members of the MILF peace panel because only 5 members are allowed to negotiate with the government’s peace panel.

“Meron kaming itinalaga, appointed by the central committee pero as consultants sila, at not regular members,” Jaafar said.

Jajurie joined the MILF peace panel in the 23rd round of exploratory talks in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which re-opened Monday and will end on Wednesday.

Jajurie was welcomed by the government’s peace panel and was cordially acknowledged by Chief Negotiator Professor Marvic Leonen in his opening statement, according to www.opapp.gov.