Increasing military facilities in West PH Sea alarms Ejercito

Senator JV Ejercito FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — Senator JV Ejercito expressed alarm on Thursday on photos of the militarized West Philippine Sea.

Ejercito noted that the military base is in a disputed maritime area.

“I’m more concerned with the recent pictures that were shown doon sa West Philippine Sea na talagang full military base na siya na functioning at mukhang dumadami pa.

(I’m more concerned with the recent pictures that were shown that the West Philippine Sea has a fully functioning military base and it seems to be getting many.)

“Masyado nang malapit and those are disputed waters,” he said in an interview at the Senate.

(It is so near and those are disputed waters.)

Ejercito then expressed support to the Armed Forces of the Philippines in its modernization program.

In October, Getty Images photojournalist Ezra Acayan’s photos of China’s man-made islands made rounds online.

Maritime security expert Jay Batongbacal, who examined the photos, said that some mobile assets show that China is “operating actively as armed bases for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.”

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