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Michael Punongbayan - The Philippine Star
March 1, 2025 | 12:00am
United Sates Ambassador MaryKay Carlson joins Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, Presidential Assistant on Maritime Concerns Andres Centino and Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan on an aerial tour of the West Philippine Sea in an American patrol plane.
STAR / File
MANILA, Philippines — United States Ambassador MaryKay Carlson joined top Philippine officials in a tour of the South China Sea (SCS) and West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Thursday in an American maritime patrol aircraft.
Among those who joined the trip were Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, Presidential Assistant on Maritime Concerns Andres Centino and Philippine Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan.
Carlson herself posted about the tour on X yesterday, along with a photo of those who joined the trip to the skies above and even beyond the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.
She used the hashtags #FriendsPartnersAllies for a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific which are often mentioned in discussions and statements relating to US-Philippine relations and China’s continuing claims over almost the entire SCS.
US embassy spokesman Kanishka Gangopadhyay said “this aerial tour of the South China Sea was part of our regular engagement with senior Philippine leaders on issues of mutual concern, including the importance of international maritime law.”
He told The STAR that Carlson and ranking Philippine officials who joined the trip were aboard a P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
Boeing describes the P-8 Poseidon as “a multi-mission maritime patrol aircraft, excelling at anti-submarine warfare; anti-surface warfare; intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and search and rescue.” — Ghio Ong
