AFP calls swarm of Sino vessels in WPS a ‘threat’

WHERE’S THE FISH? A cluster of Chinese vessels is seen at Del Pilar (Iroquois) Reef on June 30. Pilots who took this photo noted that while they appeared to be fishing boats, they just
lingered in the area and hardly engaged in any fishing activity. —AFP WESCOMPHOTO

The Armed Forces of the Philippines is laying the ground for another diplomatic protest over the growing number of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), calling the latest swarming, particularly at Recto Bank, a “concerning development” and a “threat” to the security of the resource-rich area.

The AFP Western Command (Wescom) based in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan province, reported on Friday that more than 50 Chinese vessels were found lingering in Del Pilar (Iroquois) Reef and Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, both at the southern end of the Recto Bank, also known as Reed Bank.

From 12 to 48

These features are within the 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines and also part of the Kalayaan Island Group under the jurisdiction of the Palawan municipality of Kalayaan.

The pilots of a light Philippine Navy patrol aircraft observed an “alarming presence” of Chinese fishing vessels during multiple flights made over Del Pilar on June 30, Wescom said in a statement.

They counted at least 48 boats believed to be part of the Chinese maritime militia around the reef. In February, there were only 12 of them spotted in the area, Wescom recalled.

“The swarming of Chinese fishing vessels (CFVs) there is quite visible from the air,” said Lt. Edgard Abogado, the pilot in command.

His copilot, Lt. Karla Andres, added that “the CFVs were observed to be anchored in groups of five to seven, and no fishing activities were noticed. They seem to just loiter in the area.”

PLAN vessels, too

In September 2021, then Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. ordered the filing of diplomatic protests against China for the continued presence of Chinese vessels around Del Pilar. The swarming that prompted the protest followed the dispersal of a similar cluster at Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef.

Also on Friday, the military reported the presence of three China Coast Guard (CCG) ships and two People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels “regularly loitering” at nearby Escoda Shoal.

“These developments raise an alarming concern about China’s intentions and actions within these disputed waters. Recto Bank is a vital feature within the Philippines’ EEZ, and China must cease its swarming of vessels to respect our sovereign rights,” AFP Wescom spokesperson Commander Ariel Coloma said.

A detailed report on the sightings will be submitted shortly to the Department of Foreign Affairs and National Task Force on West Philippine Sea, Coloma told reporters.

The AFP documentation “aims to facilitate the potential filing of a diplomatic protest, reinforcing our commitment to safeguard Philippine sovereignty and territorial rights in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.

The historic 2016 ruling by the international arbitral tribunal that invalidated China’s sweeping claims in the South China Sea, specifically cited Recto Bank, together with Panganiban (Mischief Reef) and Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, as maritime features within the Philippine EEZ.

Completely underwater and technically a tablemount (underwater volcanic mountain), Recto is located about 85 nautical miles west of Puerto Princesa.

Aside from China, Vietnam and Taiwan also have laid claim on Recto Bank.

It was also the site where a Chinese vessel, the Yue Maobin Yu 42212, rammed the Filipino fishing boat Gem-Ver 1 around midnight of June 9, 2019, abandoning its crew as it capsized.

Recto Bank has been the subject of exploration campaigns since the 1970s. Results of earlier seismic surveys indicated that it could hold up to 165 million barrels of oil and 3.4 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves —With a report from Inquirer Research

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