US Plans Fuel Storage Point in Davao, Philippine Military: Enhances South China Sea Deterrence

Philippine Navy South China Sea Affairs Spokesperson Roy Vincent Trinidad stated in an interview on the sidelines of a South China Sea seminar today that the relevant facilities will have a "deterrent effect," but did not specify which country it was aimed at. Trinidad said that the oil storage facilities will be built under the framework of the US-Philippines "Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement" (EDCA) and "Visiting Forces Agreement" (VFA). He emphasized that the ownership of the facilities belongs to the Philippines and will be controlled by the Philippines. Trinidad said that the oil storage facilities can support humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), maritime security, and naval force deployment. The Philippine Navy welcomes this plan. USNI News reported on March 7 that the US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) in March requested contractors to set up a "Defense Fuel Support Point" (DFSP) in the Davao region of southern the Philippines, with a storage capacity of 41 million gallons, including Navy distillate grade F76 and aviation grade JP5 fuels. The report pointed out that once the Defense Fuel Support Point is activated, US Navy ships will be able to refuel at alternative locations other than Subic Bay and Manila Port. Regarding concerns that the new oil storage facilities might become targets for hostile countries, Trinidad said that compared to this threat, the lack of "reliable deterrence" in the South China Sea is more detrimental to the Philippines. China claims most of the South China Sea based on historical rights, while the Philippines invokes the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to claim exclusive rights to resources within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. Conflicts between the two sides are frequent in the disputed waters. The Philippine Coast Guard accused China yesterday of firing flares at passing Philippine government aircraft in the vicinity of Mischief Reef and Subi Reef. Trinidad today condemned China's actions as "illegal, unprofessional, and unsafe," aimed at normalizing and legitimizing China's long-term "illegal presence" in the South China Sea. (Editor: Chen Yen-chun) 1150410