The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) are set to accentuate patrols within the Iroquois Reef within the West Philippine Sea (WPS) after 48 Chinese vessels had been just lately noticed “swarming” within the space.
Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela identified that Iroquois Reef is simply 128 nautical miles away from Palawan and thus falls inside the Philippines’ unique financial zone.
“Currently, based on our last monitoring report, the Chinese maritime militia’s based in that area. The PCG and AFP, for this coming week, will be intensifying our patrol to make sure that they will leave Iroquois Reef,” he stated.
The PCG might deploy its 97-meter and 44-meter coast guard vessels within the follow-up operations to drive the Chinese vessels away from Philippine territory, he added.
Lieutenant Karla Andres, co-pilot of Philippine Navy’s mild patrol plane, stated the 48 Chinese fishing vessels seen close to Iroquois Reef by way of an air patrol carried out on June 30 had been noticed to be “anchored in groups of five to seven and no fishing activities were noticed.”
Based on earlier Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) flights, Wescom stated the variety of Chinese fishing vessels within the space elevated from 12 in February to 47 on June 12.
“Itong [these] Chinese maritime militia, that’s their usual strategic objective. That is for them to occupy a particular maritime feature, to swarm the area for a very long period of time. Kung hindi mo sila mapapansin [if you don’t notice them], they will increase their number eventually,” Tarriela stated.
In a separate interview on Super Radyo dzBB on Saturday, Tarriela stated this isn’t the primary time such a maneuver has been achieved by China.
“Sa Philippine Coast Guard, we already had this experience of reporting this swarming of Chinese maritime militia. Sa aming pag-analisa, ang intensyon nito is to swarm a particular area and to take control of it,” stated Tarriela.
Tarriela, nonetheless, stated this was the primary time they noticed numerous Chinese vessels within the space.
Near Sabina Shoal
Aside from these Chinese fishing vessels, three China Coast Guard (CCG) ships and two People’s Liberation Army Navy vessels had been seen “regularly loitering” close to Sabina Shoal, in line with the AFP Western Command (Wescom).
Tarriela stated Philippine authorities instantly publicize such swarming incidents by Chinese maritime militia on Philippine territory, then deploy coast guard vessels and AFP property to drive away the international vessels.
“Once we publicize these events, nako-condemn sila ng international community at nagsasalita ang kaniya kaniyang embahada para i-criticize ang ganitong aktibidades ng China. Kapag finollow up-an pa natin ito ng deployment ng ating government assets, umaalis naman sila. They are driven away immediately,” he added.
(Once we publicize these occasions, the worldwide group condemns them and varied embassies criticize such actions of China. When we comply with up with the deployment of our authorities property, they depart instantly.)
“Ang Iroquois Reef ay southern part ng Recto Bank. Dito tayo maraming service contract when it comes to oil exploration,” defined Tarriela.
(Iroquois Reef is the southern a part of Recto Bank the place we have now lots of service contracts in the case of oil exploration.)
“Recto Bank is a vital feature within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and China must cease its swarming of vessels to respect our sovereign rights,” stated Wescom spokesperson Commander Ariel Coloma.
GMA News Online has sought remark from the Chinese Embassy on the matter however it has but to offer an announcement as of posting time. —KG, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
