Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, retired Navy reservist Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad. Trinidad said Tuesday (Sept. 8, 2026) that the military remains steadfast in its duty to defend the country’s territory and sovereignty amid the transfer of major US naval assets from the Pacific to the Middle East. (PNA file photo)
MANILA – The Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) ability to defend the country’s territory and sovereignty will not be affected by the recent transfer of major US naval assets from the Pacific to the Middle East.
This was conveyed by retired Navy reservist Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, underscoring the AFP’s mandate to defend the country’s territory and sovereignty.
“First and foremost, it is the primary responsibility of the Armed Forces to ensure the security and protection of our territory, our sovereignty, and sovereign rights,” he told reporters Tuesday.
Earlier this year, the aircraft carrier USS George Washington and its battle group were sent to the Middle East to relieve USS Abraham Lincoln and its escorts, which have been on extended deployment to the Middle East, following US operations against Iran.
Asked about the impact of the transfer of major US assets and whether China would take advantage of this, Trinidad said the AFP “also support(s) international law.”
“We uphold international law in this part of the globe. We receive support from our treaty ally, the US, and other like-minded nations, like Japan, in supporting international law,” he said.
Despite the transfer of US naval vessels, Trinidad said, the Mutual Defense Board – Security Engagement Board activities, and the Mutual Defense Treaty remain in place.
“The activities have been pre-planned and pre-approved. A lot of them have been implemented for this year. More are in line next year. We are not concerned (about) any reduction in US forces or other like-minded nations’ forces in the Indo-Pacific Region,” he said.
Questionable claims
Meanwhile, Trinidad said the latest Chinese state-media article claiming Batanes Island is part of their territory is part of “foreign malign influence.”
“The Batanes claim is synchronized with malign influence narratives on Bajo de Masinloc and Ayungin Shoal. Let us not look at this as isolated incidents. These are all synchronized, persistent efforts of foreign malign influence to show to the public, first and foremost, and to the world that the AFP and the government (have) failed to secure and to protect our sovereignty and sovereign rights,” he said.
Trinidad, however, noted that these actions only further strengthen the AFP’s resolve to perform its mandate of patrolling the seas and skies, and continue the rotation and reprovisioning activities on BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. (PNA)