PBBM EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER RUSSIAN ATTACK SUBMARINE SPOTTED IN PH WATERS

PRESIDENT  Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday expressed concern over the Russian attack submarine that was spotted in the West Philippine Sea last week. 

The President said any intrusion in the Philippines’  Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is very concerning.

“That’s very concerning. Any intrusion into the West Philippine Sea, of our EEZ, of our baselines is very worrisome. Yes it’s just another one,”  President Marcos told reporters.

He said he would let the Philippine military discuss the matter.

According to Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad,  they have monitored the presence of Russian Navy’s Ufa, a  Kilo II-class diesel-electric submarine, in the Philippines’ EEZ.

Trinidad said that from Malaysia, the Russian attack submarine was first seen 80 nautical miles west off Occidental Mindoro on November 28.

He said the Philippine Navy immediately sent an aircraft and a warship to track the movement of the Russian vessel.

The Ufa did not submerge but moved slowly northward outside the Philippine waters until the weekend.

Russia is a close ally to China which insists it has sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, parts of which are also being claimed by its neighbors, including the Philippines.

China relies on a claim of historical right to the South China Sea. But  in 2016, an international arbitral tribunal ruled  that Beijing’s claim has no basis under international law.