When a Chinese military aircraft landed at the Davao International Airport on June 8, 2018 to refuel \u2501 with no apparent permission to land \u2501 it should have triggered a diplomatic protest. <\/p>\n
However, according to Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary Elmer Cato, the aircraft, an IL-76 strategic cargo aircraft, would have to have diplomatic clearance and the necessary permission to land at the airport. \u201cWe would have to check with the Intelligence and Security Unit of the Department, which is in charge of issuing diplomatic clearances for all foreign military aircraft entering Philippine airspace,\u201d Cato said. A senior military official then asked Cato: \u201cWhere did you get that report [information]? I don\u2019t know that.\u201d Evidently, the Philippine military was kept out of the loop on the reported landing of the Chinese cargo aircraft. <\/p>\n
From what transpired between Cato and the unnamed military official, the question arises: Shouldn\u2019t the Department of Defense (DOD) been notified about the Chinese military aircraft landing on Philippine territory? If it were an emergency landing, that would have been understandable. But China\u2019s People\u2019s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) should have known that if the aircraft needed refuelling they should have requested the proper Philippine government agency for clearance to land and refuel ahead of time. But there was no evidence that such process had occurred.<\/p>\n
Two days later, Special Assistant to the President Bong Go said that a request for landing was \u201creceived, processed, and cleared\u201d by relevant Philippine government agencies. Go explained that technical landings by foreign government and commercial planes are done through close coordination by relevant government agencies, \u201cfollowing established domestic procedure and in consideration of existing agreements.\u201d Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque also issued a statement, saying that based on the records of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), \u201cthe Chinese aircraft made a technical stop in Davao City on June 8 for mere refuelling. According to the permit granted, the aircraft was bound for Cairns, Australia.\u201d<\/p>\n
Protection for Duterte<\/p>\n
If the DOD was not privy to clearing the Chinese aircraft to land in Davao City, it makes one wonder if Duterte has a secret understanding with Chinese President Xi Jinping that would allow Chinese aircraft to land on Philippine territory for refuelling or any other logistical needs? Could this be one of Duterte\u2019s concessions to Xi who had promised Duterte during his trip to Beijing last May that he\u2019d protect Duterte from any plan to remove him from office? When Duterte arrived in Manila from his Beijing trip, he announced: \u201cThe assurances of Xi Jinping were very encouraging. \u2018We will not allow you to be taken out from your office, and we will not allow the Philippines to go to the dogs\u2019, Xi told me,\u201d which begs the question: What did Duterte promise Xi in return for Xi\u2019s protection? Xi wouldn\u2019t put Duterte under his protective mantle unless Duterte was willing to kowtow to his authority. Could it be that Duterte has placed his country under the vassalage of China or as a protectorate of China?<\/p>\n
Last June 12, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua, who attended the Philippine Independence Day celebration in Kawit, Cavite, dismissed fears and concerns over the landing of Chinese aircraft in Davao City. He maintained that China followed Philippine protocols regarding the aircraft\u2019s landing in Davao City. <\/p>\n
On June 23, China did it again! The same IL-76 cargo plane landed in Davao City. PLAAF sources said the aircraft made a quick pit stop to refuel after participating in a military exercise in New Zealand. Malaca\u00f1ang said that the refuelling was cleared by government agencies.<\/p>\n
But while most Philippine officials and journalists remain silent on the two refueling incidents, Jose Antonio Custodio, a Filipino defense analyst and military historian, told CNN Philippines\u2019 The Source that it was a way for China to \u201csee how our reactions would be.\u201d “They could have refuelled in those artificial islands [Chinese bases at the Mischief, Fiery Cross, and Subi Reefs] they constructed in the seas they stole from us. But they chose to do it in Davao,” he said. “Basically, they’re probing us.” <\/p>\n
Conspiracy theories<\/p>\n
Custodio doesn\u2019t believe that China had obtained the necessary permissions and clearances. He pointed out that the plane bore Chinese military insignia, which means that it had to pass through an even higher level \u2501 the Department of Defense, AFP or the National Security Adviser. Citing reliable military sources, Custodio claimed the Chinese aircraft was in Davao City for \u201cseveral days,\u201d which was much longer than the time it would need to refuel. There are a lot of questions, but no answers. For instance: What did the aircraft or its crew do during the time the aircraft was grounded for a few days? Were they on a classified or secret mission? Was the aircraft a spy plane? Did they bring some espionage or surveillance equipment to be used by Chinese spies already in the country? Did they bring in a homing device or guidance system to navigate Chinese aircraft, warships, missiles or satellites? Did the crew secretly meet with Duterte? <\/p>\n
It is a common knowledge that Davao City is the de facto administrative capital of the country, which explains why China is treating Davao City as the \u201cseat of power,\u201d not Manila? With Duterte exercising his presidential duties from his home in Davao City, Congress is isolated in Manila and detached from the goings on of the Executive Branch, which is operating in Davao City. Indeed, Manila was abound with rumours and conspiracy theories since the Chinese aircraft landing in Davao City, which makes a lot of people wonder: What is China up to? <\/p>\n
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, a former Philippine Navy officer and one of Duterte\u2019s harshest critics, said the aircraft landing in Davao City was \u201cwrong in so many levels.\u201d He questioned why of all the airports in the Mindanao region, the plane had to refuel in Davao City, Duterte\u2019s hometown. He said, \u201cThis is not the first time such a plane landed in Davao City\u201d because a similar one was spotted there “few weeks before [June 8].” He also said, \u201cThe fact that it\u2019s a cargo plane, most probably they unloaded some precious cargo. We\u2019re trying to verify on the ground what was unloaded.” He also branded as a “lie” the government’s claim that the plane was in Davao to refuel, noting that it was a cargo aircraft. \u201cWhere will this plane go from Davao or where did it come from, except that Davao was the ultimate destination?” he said.<\/p>\n
At a crossroads<\/p>\n
Custodio said that Philippine independence \u2501 or sovereignty \u2501 is at a crossroads. \u201cIt can choose the path to defend its interests, defend the sacrifices of our forefathers who fought for freedom, or it can go this path and become a vassal state of China,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe thing with China is it knows it has its foot in [already]. So [this time] it’s going to bring its entire body in,” he added. “That’s something we have to watch out [for].” <\/p>\n
Surmise it to say, the refueling in Davao City could have been be the first step in a series of manoeuvres to pierce the Philippines\u2019 sovereignty. Indeed, China has already opened the country\u2019s backdoors in Davao City and established direct communication link with Duterte. All China has to do now is send her troops on the pretence of fighting ISIS in Mindanao. China has demonstrated that its military aircraft and warships could intrude into Philippine territory at will and the Philippine government wouldn\u2019t do anything to stop her.<\/p>\n
Xi Jinping knew that he has Duterte on a string. Indeed, Duterte is at Xi\u2019s beck and call. And because of Duterte\u2019s reluctance to go to war against China, if Xi tells him to jump, Duterte would probably say, \u201cHow high, boss?\u201d In other words, Philippine sovereignty is rendered meaningless. As I mentioned in my recent column, \u201cSovereignty without security\u201d (June 1, 2018), \u201cWhat Duterte is now left with is a sovereign country without security. But as a wise man once said, \u2018If you cannot defend and secure the independence of your country, then you are not sovereign.\u2019 If not, what are we then?\u201d <\/p>\n
And this brings the issue of sovereignty to the fore, which is: Is President Duterte remiss in protecting the country\u2019s sovereignty? (PerryDiaz@gmail.com) <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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