MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine National Police will send its maritime assets to the West Philippine Sea to augment the Coast Guard and Philippine Navy.
The PNP Maritime Group (PNP-MG) will deploy four high speed tactical watercraft, three police gun boats and police fast boats to patrol the municipal waters and portions of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea, the National Task Force-West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said on Wednesday (May 12).
The assets will be sent to police maritime units mostly in Palawan province, near the site of Chinese incursions in Philippine EEZ.
The PNP-MG force to be deployed to the municipality of Kalayaan was scheduled to leave for the area on May 15.
The NTF-WPS said its maritime operations in the West Philippine Sea are continuously being carried out.
“The Philippine government continues to strengthen its presence in the WPS with a view towards law enforcement, deterrence of illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing (IUUF) and protection of the welfare and safety of our fisherfolk,” said NTF-WPS, encouraging Filipino fishermen to sail out and fish in the West Philippine Sea.