The military is shoring up the country’s internal and territorial defense with the implementation of a Philippine Marines (PM)-borne operational and fighting concept dubbed as archipelagic coastal defense (ACD) seen as the first line of action and strategy in defending the country’s territory in case of war and armed conflict.
The ACD, which is part of the Philippine Navy’s Active Archipelagic Defense Strategy (AADS), was conceived by the Marines under its current commandant Major Gen. Ariel Caculitan and would become the new operating concept of the PM after it was approved by Navy chief Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo Bacordo late last month.
Caculitan presented the concept of the ACD to the Flag Officer in Command, Philippine Navy, Vice Admiral Giovanni Carlo J. Bacordo, and introduced it as the new Marine Corps Operating Concept (MCOC) to support the accomplishment of the Navy’s various missions. The PM is an operating unit under the Navy.
The ACD defined the tasks of the Marines and how they should operate and adapt to the current and future operational environment, while spelling out how they should be integrated into the naval, joint and inter-agency operations. It principally supports the Navy in accomplishing its mandate and missions.
Over the weekend, Caculitan, who was joined by other military officials led by Armed Forces Western Mindanao Command commander Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr., visited the different detachments of the 2nd Marine Brigade in Tawi-Tawi for survey and assessment.
Caculitan also visited the Marines manning the Littoral Monitoring Stations (LMS) in all of the islands and islets under the Sulu, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Zamboanga Island Group in south western seaboard of the country to ensure that the capability of the Marines frontline defenders are met when the ACD operates.
Tawi-Tawi is the nearest island province to Sabah, which is a part of the Philippines, but is currently being occupied by Malaysia, which has already considered it as one of its states.
Marines spokesman Major Emery Torre said the visits were also made after Bacordo has given his go signal to Caculitan to implement the new concept.
Under the ACD, Marine operating forces (MOFs) would execute the strategy through its “seaward, landward, and supporting maneuvers.”
“This concept requires the combination of sensors; command and control; mixed-fires composed of shore-based anti-ship missile system [SBASMS], shore-based air defense system [SBADS], Man Portable Air Defense System [MANPADS], Multi-launched Rocket System [MLRS], and howitzers; coastal maneuver forces; force protection and sustainment capabilities,” the Marines said in explaining the new concept.
The ACD is also seen to boost the operational capability of the PM in defending the country’s stakes against China in the West Philippine Sea, whose islets and other features are being manned by Marines personnel.
While in Tawi-Tawi, Caculitan paid a courtesy call to Governor Yshmael Sali and to the mayors of Sitangkai, Sibutu, and Bongao where they all talked about the partnership and the need to secure and sustain the development of the sea trade route in the Celebes Sea.
Duterte’s debate challenge accepted
Retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio has expressed readiness to debate with President Duterte over issues surrounding the disputed WPS.
In his pre-recorded briefing on Wednesday, the President lambasted Carpio and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario for insisting that he should be blamed for the WPS mess.
The President even claimed that Carpio and del Rosario were involved in the decision to withdraw Navy ships from the West.
Duterte then dared Carpio to a debate on the WPS, including on the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague where the Philippines won over China’s nine-dash line claim.
The President said he would only ask Carpio three questions, “who ordered the retreat; what did you do after the retreat; we filed a case and won, can we enforce it” during the debate.
“I gladly accept the challenge anytime at the President’s convenience,” Carpio said.
At the same time, Carpio also dared the President to make good of his promise to “resign immediately” if anyone can prove that he was lying when he said that the former magistrate was involved in the decision to withdraw Navy ships from the WPS.
Both Carpio and Duterte, who have been engaged on a word war, are lawyers. With Joel R. San Juan
Image credits: AP/Bullit Marquez