U.S. NUCLEAR SUB DOCKS AT SUBIC / SULU GOV WON'T RESCUE TV
REPORTER
[PHOTO - USS Louisville (SSN 724)]
MANILA, JUNE 26,
2012 (STANDARD) by Florante S. Solmerin - THE United States' Los
Angeles-class USS Louisville (SSN 724), a nuclear-powered fast attack submarine,
on Monday docked at Subic Bay, the second submarine to arrive in the bay in over
a month since the docking there of the Virginia-class USS North Carolina (SSN
777).
The submarine's arrival again announced the United States' increasing
presence in the Pacific following China's flexing of its naval muscles there and
the continuing disputes in the South China Sea among the countries claiming
parts of the area.
The US Embassy in Manila said the submarine was in the country "for a routine
port call," and that part of its visit was to replenish supplies and give the
crew an opportunity to rest.
Philippine Navy spokesman Col. Omar Tonsay said the submarine will stay in
the country from June 25 to June 30.
"The submarine has no mission or whatsoever in coming to the Philippines
except replenishment of supplies and may be rest for the crew," Tonsay said.
The US Navy website says the Louisville was commissioned on Nov. 8, 1986, and
that it is one of the most advanced attack submarines in the world. Its mission
is to seek out and destroy enemy ships and submarines.
The sub is 360 feet long and weighs 6,900 tons. It is armed with
sophisticated MK48 torpedoes and Tomahawk cruise missiles.
"USS Louisville is the fourth United States ship to bear the name in honor of
the city of Louisville, Kentucky," the US Embassy said in a statement.
The Louisville has primarily operated out of San Diego, California, and Pearl
Harbor in Hawaii.
On May 13 the US Pacific Command sent the USS North Carolina (SSN 777) to the
Philippines and docked at Subic bay for a five-day visit.
The submarine has a total crew of 133, and is home-ported in Pearl Harbor in
Hawaii. It was commissioned in 2008.
The submarine is more than 350 feet long and weighs more than 7,800 tons when
submerged. It is one of the stealthiest, most technologically advanced
submarines in the world.
Meanwhile, officials in Manila said Monday that China had withdrawn its boats
from the lagoon of a tiny South China Sea shoal following an agreement with the
Philippines that at least temporarily eased the countries' territorial dispute.
The Philippine government pulled out its two vessels from Scarborough Shoal
on June 15, and President Benigno Aquino III last week threatened to send them
back unless China also withdrew.
Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said he had received information that
all boats had left the shoal's lagoon as of Saturday. He said earlier that China
and the Philippines had reached a verbal agreement to pull out from the lagoon
but not the wider vicinity of the shoal, where Chinese vessels apparently
remained.
Both countries claim the shoal. Tensions flared in April when the Philippines
accused Chinese fishermen of poaching within its exclusive economic zone, which
includes the shoal. China responded by sending paramilitary vessels to protect
the fishermen.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a regular briefing in
Beijing that the situation at the Huangyan Islands—the Chinese name for
Scarborough Shoal—"is overall toward peace."
He did not comment on the Philippines' statement that Chinese vessels had
withdrawn from the lagoon. He said that Chinese vessels "have been running the …
islands and the nearby waters and standing on alert."
The horseshoe-shaped shoal, a popular hunting ground for Filipino and Chinese
fishermen, is one of the hundreds of tiny outcrops and islands dotting the South
China Sea, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes and an area believed to be
rich in natural gas and oil.
China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam claim the nearby
Spratly Islands, where disputes have occasionally triggered naval clashes. A
non-binding 2002 accord discourages aggressive acts that could spark fighting.
With Sara Susanne D. Fabunan and the AP
(Published in the Manila Standard Today newspaper on
/2012/June/26)
Sulu gov won't move to rescue TV reporter Posted
June 25th, 2012 by Joyce Pangco Panares & filed under Main Stories.
[PHOTO - MISSING JORDANIAN JOURNALIST INTERVIEWING SULU GOV. SAKUR
TAN]
SULU Governor Sakur Tan said Sunday there was no need to rescue Jordanian
journalist Baker Abdulla Atyani, who went to Sulu with two Filipino crew
supposedly to interview some members of the Abu Sayyaf bandits for a
documentary.
Tan, the head of the crisis committee in the province, said he believed
Atyani, the chief of the Al-Arabiya News Network's TV bureau in Southeast Asia,
went to the Abu Sayyaf's lair voluntarily. Rescuing him would only endanger the
lives of innocent civilians.
"He went there voluntarily," Tan told the Manila Standard in a phone
interview.
"Why would we sacrifice the lives of innocent civilians here in Sulu just
because of three people who knew where they were going? They create a problem
and then now they want us to solve it?
"We don't consider him a hostage. We do not see any crisis here, so we will
just be monitoring."
Tan's statement came on the heels of Malacañang's assertion that the
journalist had not been abducted.
Deputy presidential spokeswoman Abigail Valte said over the weekend that the
Jordanian had not been abducted because he went to Sulu voluntarily.
"Now, it seems he is not able to leave," Valte said.
Malacañang said it would leave it up the Interior Department to decide
whether to launch a search-and-rescue mission for Atyani and his two Filipino
companions Ramilito Vela and Rolando Letrero.
Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo earlier said that the Abu Sayyaf had taken
Aryani and his crew hostage.
Atyani and the two Filipinos went missing on June 12 in Patikul after leaving
their hotel early to reportedly interview the Abu Sayyaf commanders in the area
and do a "Mission Impossible-type" of documentary.
(Published in the Manila Standard Today newspaper on
/2012/June/25)
Chief News Editor: Sol Jose Vanzi
© Copyright, 2012 by PHILIPPINE HEADLINE NEWS ONLINE
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