by DJ Yap
PDI
The Armed Forces on Thursday said it was validating reports that Chinese jet fighters had entered the country’s airspace around the disputed Spratly chain near Palawan but conceded it had no capability to detect and intercept the alleged intrusions.
AFP Chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Oban said the military was checking the intelligence reports, but admitted that the AFP does not have the capability to detect or monitor such intrusions, and even if it does, it has no power to intercept them anyway.
“In terms of capability, No. 1, we don’t actually have the detection and monitoring capability, we don’t have radars to check if indeed they intruded into our airspace,†he said.
“No. 2, if indeed we have that capability, we need interdiction. We also have no capability to interdict or to intercept, which is why the first option is to lodge a diplomatic protest,†said Oban, who spoke at a Communication and News Exchange Forum sponsored by the Philippine Information Agency.
The AFP chief said he hoped that in time, “we can go in this direction, towards territorial defense.â€
“We need to come up with an effective detection and monitoring system most particularly in the Palawan area where we have vast maritime resources to protect,†Oban said.
A military official, who spoke on condition of anonymity for lack of authority to speak on the matter, said the unidentified aircraft was observed at an altitude of about 5,000 feet.
The aircraft was spotted by the Filipino pilots of two OV-10 light attack and observation planes which were on a routine patrol mission near the Reed Bank, part of the Kalayaan group in the Spratly chain claimed by the Philippines.
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