AFTER another incident of water bombing and the collision of the China Coast Guard (CCG) ship with the Philippine resupply ship in Ayungin Shoal recently, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez wants to assign or deploy two or three of the 12 Philippine fighter jets Air Force (PAF) in Palawan.

In a statement, Speaker Romualdez said, “maroon tayong 12 na fighter jets sa Basa Airbase sa Pampanga, baka pwede idestino ang dalawa o tatlo sa mga ito, para naman makapag-patrolya sa Philippine airspace at iba pang lugar around Palawan”.

“Hindi natin pino-provoke yung China pero responsibility ng Philippine Air Force to patrol our skies,” Romualdez explained.

He said, “iba rin kasi feeling kapag alam mo na nasa taas mo yung kakampi mo. You feel secured”.

The house leader will summon AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Romeo Brawner as well as the chiefs of the Airforce, Navy, and Army in the next few days to discuss the said plan.

Meanwhile, the head of the Western Command, Vice-Admiral Alberto Carlos, also agreed with Cong. Romualdez’ plan.

“It will boost the moral of our personnel in the area lalo na yung mga fishermen natin pag nakita na nasa himpapawid yung mga eroplano natin,” the military official said.

“Nakakapagpalakas po ng loob yun pag nandyan mga eroplanong pandigma natin”, a group of fishermen from Aborlan, Palawan, meanwhile, said.

Even Palawan District Cong. Jose Alvarez expressed support to the lawmaker’s plan.

“Maganda maglagay sila dito kahit dalawa lang. Matagal ko na sinasabi yan,” Alvarez said.

In the November 2023 OCTA Research survey, it appears that many Filipinos want more aggressive military action in the West Philippine Sea.

PAF jets travel more than two hours from Basa airbase in Pampanga to Kalayaan.

Meanwhile, the flight of fighter jets to Kalayaan only takes about an hour if it comes from Puerto Princesa City.

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People's Journal