MANILA — Philippine maritime and air patrols off the West Philippine Sea (WPS) are still ongoing despite developments in the region, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Col. Edgard Arevalo said.
“Lagi nating sinasabi na pagkukumento tungkol sa mga nagiging development sa West Philippine Sea ay nasa kamay po ng (We always say that the ones giving comments on the developments on the West Philippine Sea are the) Department of Foreign Affairs or Department of National Defense. But what we can assure our people is that your AFP is doing its mandate, gaya ng binanggit ko (like what I said) last time,” Arevalo said in an interview Monday.
“Nagpapatuloy naman po ang ating kino-conduct na air and maritime patrols na ginagawa sa mga lugar na yan at lahat ng ating namo-monitor ay ipini-feed po natin sa ating (We continue to conduct air and maritime patrols in those areas and we feed everything that we monitor to our) national leadership because matters of national policy, matters of foreign relations is not a matter for the AFP to speak of,” he added.
Arevalo also assured the public that the military will never renege on its constitutional obligation to help secure and defend the country’s territorial integrity.
“There are other things that we are doing but we are not at liberty to reveal (them) to you. But these are part and parcel of what we are doing towards the fullfilment of such constitutional (mandate),” he said. (Priam Nepomuceno/PNA)
