By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Like the biblical story of David and Goliath, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has remained undaunted even as it has monitored over 135 Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) vessels in the area of Julian Felipe Reef.

On Sunday, the PCG said in a statement that it first monitored 111 Chinese vessels in the area on November 13. The number later increased to 125, and by December 2, there were over 135 vessels in the area.

“The PCG maintains its unwavering commitment to safeguarding maritime security, safety, and the marine environment in the course of protecting the territorial integrity, sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea under international laws including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the 2016 Arbitral Award and Philippine domestic laws,” the PCG said in a statement.

It added that the Coast Guard will continue to patrol the West Philippine Sea to protect the territory of the Philippines.

National Security Adviser (NSA) and Chair of the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea, General Eduardo Año, directed the PCG to carry out maritime patrol in the area.

On Saturday, December 2, PCG Commandant Coast Guard Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, deployed PCG vessels BRP Sindangan and BRP Cabra to the area.

The PCG said it issued radio challenges to the Chinese vessels but ignored and they received no response.

(ai/mnm)

Image Courtesy of BBC News

By Junex Doronio

HEEDING THE MARCHING ORDER of President and Commander-in-Chief Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday night bravely removed the dangerous floating barrier which it said the Chinese Coast Guard placed in the southeast portion of the Bajo de Masinloc (BDM) or Scarborough Shoal, well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), PCG Commodore Jay Tarriela said, “The decisive action of the PCG to remove the barrier aligns with international law and the Philippines’ sovereignty over the shoal.”

Located 229.6 kilometers (124 nautical miles) away from Zambales province, the BDM or Scarborough Shoal is part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and is considered one of the traditional fishing grounds for Filipinos.

“The 2016 Arbitral Award has affirmed that BDM is the traditional fishing ground of Filipino fishermen. Thus, any obstruction hindering the livelihoods of Filipino fisherfolk in the shoal violates international law. It also infringes on the Philippines’ sovereignty over BDM,” Tarriela stressed.

On Monday evening, September 25, the PCG conducted a special operation to remove the “hazardous floating barrier” in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) upon the instructions of President Marcos and Año, who also heads the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.

But China argued that Scarborough Shoal, which it calls Huangyan Dao, has always been its territory, and thus it has “indisputable sovereignty” over the island. (ai/mnm)

By Junex Doronio

AFTER BEING CALLED A HYPOCRITE by Defense Secretary Gilbert “Gibo” Teodoro, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Sunday shot back at China’s denial that its Chinese Maritime Militia is polluting the waters and the Philippines is only creating “drama” over the destruction of corals in parts of the West Philippine Sea.

“Stop making allegation that BRP Sierra Madre is polluting the water, but blame it to your numerous Chinese Maritime Militia swarming the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ),” PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said.

On Saturday, September 23, Teodoro called China a hypocrite over its remarks on environmental damage in the WPS, saying these “will only heighten the mistrust by the Filipino people and the rest of the world of the Chinese Government.”

Earlier last week, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning has flatly denied allegations that the Chinese were responsible for the damage to corals in the West Philippine Sea while demanding the removal of BRP Sierra Madre from the Ayungin Shoal.

“The Philippines’ accusations have no factual basis. We urge relevant party of the Philippines to stop creating a political drama from fiction,” Mao said on Thursday, September 21.

She added that if the Philippines truly cares about the environment, it should remove the BRP Sierra Madre from the Ayungin Shoal, the formation that China called Ren’ai Jiao.

Mao said the Philippines should stop the vessel “from discharging polluted water into the ocean and not let the rusting warship bring irrevocable harm to the ocean.”

She was referring to BRP Sierra Madre, which was deliberately grounded at the Ayungin Shoal since 1999 during the administration of President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, and it has become a symbol of Philippine sovereignty in the offshore territory since then.

The past administrations of former presidents Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Rodrigo Roa Duterte noticeably did not add other physical symbols of Philippine sovereignty in the WPS.

“The destruction of corals goes far beyond drama. It is a violent act and a serious crime against humanity,” Tarriela stressed. (ai/mnm)