The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) welcomed the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) initiative to invite several government officials to see for themselves the true situation in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In a Tuesday report by RH 52 Edniel Parrosa, the response came after PCG Spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela challenged Senator Rodante Marcoleta to visit the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG).

In a press conference at Camp Aguinaldo, AFP Spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the military supports the move to include these officials in the PCG’s maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight.

However, for a maritime cooperative activity or military drill, Trinidad said this would need appropriate guidance from the general headquarters.

While he did not directly respond to Marcoleta’s statement about giving up the KIG, as it is outside the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Trinidad stressed that the islands are part of the area they are mandated to protect, in accordance with the Constitution.

“I would like to leave the statements as they are. So far as the AFP is concerned, napakaliwanag ng ating mandato, and this is stated in the Constitution itself. We know the limits of the Philippine territory, it is our mandate to protect national sovereignty, to ensure the integrity of the national territory all the way up to our 200 nautical mile-EEZ and the regime of islands covering KIG, which is beyond our EEZ,” Trinidad said.

Meanwhile, according to the Philippine Navy’s recent monitoring, 14 Chinese vessels are scattered around Bajo de Masinloc, Ayungin Shoal, Escoda Shoal, and Pag-asa Island this past week.