Chinese ships still in Ayungin, Sabina Shoals

MANILA, Philippines — Chinese maritime militia vessels were still anchored in Sabina and Ayungin Shoals as of Friday, a few days since the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) conducted the maritime domain awareness (MDA) last Wednesday.

“What I can confirm is that there are still maritime militia and a China Coast Guard vessel in Ayungin and Sabina Shoals.” PCG adviser for maritime security Commodore Jay Tarriela said at a forum yesterday in Quezon City.

The PCG conducted the MDA on Feb. 22 to determine whether the CCG heeded to the diplomatic protest filed by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), following the CCG’s recent laser-pointing at the PCG while it was assisting the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP).

The PCG, however, said it monitored 26 Chinese maritime militia vessels anchored in Sabina Shoal and four others anchored in Ayungin Shoal, along with CCG-5304, which was the replacement of CCG-5205 that was used in the laser-pointing incident.

Tarriela said the PCG issued a radio challenge against the CCG, asking it to leave Philippine waters as they informed them of the MDA being conducted, but the PCG failed to drive away the CCG and its vessels that have been swarming the West Philippine Sea.

He added that they have a daily monitoring report of the Chinese maritime militia, but he refused to disclose the latest report, pending approval from the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS), of which the PCG is a member.

“I have yet to confirm whether I am authorized to share the data. The data that we presented has the approval from the NTF-WPS. So, as far as the data that were released last Feb. 22 are concerned, that was the only data approved by the NTF-WPS,” Tariella said.

He added that he does not want “to go beyond that authority” entrusted to him by the task force.

PCG stands ground

Meanwhile, the PCG continues to stand its ground amid the recent aggressive and bullying behavior of the CCG in the West Philippine Sea as it assured Filipinos that it would uphold the country’s sovereign rights over Philippine waters.

“Since then and now, the PCG is still loyal to the Philippine flag, still chooses our responsibility and is still willing to fight for our Filipino people to make sure that our exclusive economic zone, we have our constant patrol and we will be still supporting our Filipino fishermen,” Tarriela said at the same forum yesterday.

The PCG official stood firm that the agency would continue to patrol the West Philippine Sea to stop the intrusion of its Chinese counterpart “despite the dangerous maneuver and despite the laser-pointing incident,” as he reiterated their commitment to the President’s mandate that not a single inch of Philippine territory will be surrendered.

The CCG has been making aggressive actions in the West Philippine Sea, which started early this year when it drove away some Filipino fishermen in Palawan, followed by the laser-pointing incident at the PCG that was escorting the rotation and resupply mission of the AFP in Ayungin Shoal.

Amid all these incidents, the PCG has expanded its presence and deployed its assets to ensure the safety and welfare of Filipino fishermen, who can still freely do their fishing ventures in Philippine waters, although sometimes being driven away by the CCG, according to Tarriela.

He urged Filipino fishermen to report to the PCG any untoward incidents caused by the CCG.

“Every time we conduct patrol in the West Philippine Sea, there is radio communication… Our vessels call the radio and tell them, ‘Pag kayo ay na-harass or may insidente na kayo ay mabu-bully (If there is any harassment or bullying incident), please feel free to report to the PCG, and the PCG will assist them and support their fishing activity,” Tarriela said.

Despite China’s actions, Tarriela stood firm that they would continue the “white-to-white” ship protocols, as he emphasized that they would continue to uphold international maritime laws as far as patrolling in the West Philippine Sea is concerned.