📷Philippine Navy Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad | bomboradyo
MANY are inclined to believe that China’s imposition of a fishing ban at the disputed maritime territory is part and parcel of a plan to keep Filipino fishermen off the high seas.
This comes as the Philippine Navy reported spotting no less than 112 Chinese vessels at the West Philippine Sea.
According to Philippine Navy Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, sightings were recorded from May 21 to 27.
Citing a database created just for the purpose of monitoring, Trinidad said that among those seen at the Bajo de Masinloc were five Chinese Coast Guard vessels (CCGV), 14 Chinese maritime militia vessels (CMMV). Sightings in Ayungin yielded five CCGVs and 17 CMMVs.
Meanwhile, Pag-asa Island seemed to have been swarmed as the Navy documented the presence of a CCGV, a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessel, and 34 CMMVs. Kota and Lawak Islands had one apiece.
Panata Island had three CMMVs, Patag Island had two CCGVs and two CMMVs, while Sabina Shoal had two CCGVs, four PLAN ships, 30 CMMVs.
Trinidad clarified that the Philippine Navy does not recognize the Chinese fishing moratorium on the South China Sea – “The Philippine Navy does not recognize this provocative statement nor will we be deterred in performing our mandate of securing the welfare of Filipinos wherever he/she is — on land or sea.”
To prove his point, Trinidad went on to claim that they have in fact intensified patrols at the West Philippine Sea, including the Bajo de Masinloc and the northern islands, following the shift of the Philippine military to external defense and the implementation of the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept (CADC).
Previously, the Department of Foreign Affairs described China’s fishing ban as another glaring violation of international law as it “undermined the country’s sovereignty and maritime rights.”
The supposed fishing ban declared by China started on May 1 and ends on September 16.
China, which claims almost the entire South China Sea, lost its case back in 2016 at the international arbitration tribunal which ruled to dump China’s nine-dash line claims over the South China Sea.
Despite the ruling China insisted that the South China Sea is theirs – and theirs alone. (ANGEL F. JOSE)
