Julian Felipe Reef is part of West Philippine Sea But Chinese militia vessels are still here

MANILA – Government sea assets will be continuously deployed to different areas of the West Philippine Sea (WPS) for maritime sovereignty patrols and other law enforcement activities, the Area Task Force (ATF)-West of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea said on Tuesday.

Around 240 Chinese militia vessels not mere fishing vessels as claimed by Chinese authorities — are still inside the territorial waters of the country, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said on Tuesday. According to the NTF-WPS, the latest sovereignty patrols done by government assets showed that ships of the Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) and the Chinese Coast Guard have remained on the waters off Kalayaan town in Palawan — well within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines.

“NTF-WPS denounces the continuous swarming in the WPS by Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) and Maritime Militia which are claimed by Chinese authorities to be ordinary fishing vessels,” the task force said.

“These 240 CMM vessels, now dispersed at the Pagkakaisa (Union) Banks and Pag-asa Islands, are about sixty (60) meters in length.  A minimum estimate that each can catch one (1) ton of fish amounts to a conservative total of 240,000 kilos of fish illegally taken from Philippine waters every single day that the massed Chinese fishing vessels remain in the West Philippine Sea,” it added.

In a statement, the body said this is part of its efforts in addressing the recent developments in the WPS through a more extensive and collaborative effort among its member agencies.

"Sea assets are and shall be continuously deployed to different areas in the WPS to conduct maritime and sovereignty patrols, and other law enforcement activities, including the Julian Felipe Reef, Pag-asa Cay, Recto Bank, and other parts of the Kalayaan Island Group," the body said.

It added that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has deployed BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409), while the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has sent two more ships in the area.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), through the Western Command, has deployed four Philippine Navy vessels, namely BRP Dagupan City (LS-551), BRP Apolinario Mabini (PS-36), BRP Magat Salamat (PS-20), and BRP Miguel Malvar (PS-19).

The latest issue between the Philippines and China started last March 21, when the PCG and the NTF-WPS made a report about 220 Chinese ships spotted in line formation near the Julian Felipe Reef.

The Department of Foreign Affairs has filed a diplomatic protest over the issue since then, while Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has given out strong-worded statements as the Chinese ships remained in the area despite the repeated demands by the Philippine government to leave.

Previously, Lorenzana said that Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian had “a lot of explaining to do” with the ships still present at the reef, stressing that he was no fool; referring to the insistence of the Chinese ships to stay despite weather now being better.

This is not the first time China made an incursion into the West Philippine Sea, which has prompted the Philipines to file numerous diplomatic protests against the Asian superpower.

China claims ownership of almost the entire South China Sea, saying that their nine-dash-line territorial claim had historical basis. However, even as the Philippines won in the ruling released by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 which invalidated China’s nine-dash line claim. China said that it would acknowledge the decision.

These ships will provide support and assistance to PCG and BFAR vessels in the area.

"These inter-agency efforts are very essential in the way we address the national concerns in the WPS. The ATF-West shall continue to do so to ensure that our government forces and agencies will be able to collaborate, complement, and support each other in performing respective mandates in support to national policy and strategy," ATF-West chair Vice Admiral Ramil Roberto Enriquez said.

The ATF-West also urged all Palawan residents and all Filipinos to know and understand their role, and to take their part in the nation's stake in the West Philippine Sea.

It added that through a whole-of-nation approach on the issue, the country's interests and security will be safeguarded for the present and future generation of Filipinos.

Source:  https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1136565 and PH Daily Inquirer website