PCG, BFAR ships deployed to Scarborough to protect fishers vs China

FILE PHOTO: The Philippine government has deployed ships to the Scarborough Shoal in a bid to protect Filipino fishers against China’s aggression. INQUIRER FILES

MANILA, Philippines — The government has deployed ships to the Scarborough Shoal due to recent harassment cases of China Coast Guard (CCG) personnel against Filipino fishers.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) conducted a rotational deployment in the atoll, which is also known as Bajo de Masinloc, a disputed territory in the West Philippine Sea.

National Security Adviser Eduardo Año on Friday said that PCG ship BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) and BFAR vessel BRP Datu Tamblot patrolled the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal from February 1-9.

READ: Teodoro urges fishers not to sail solo to Scarborough Shoal

“These efforts aim to ensure the safety and security of our Filipino fishermen in their traditional fishing grounds,” Año said in a statement.

Scarborough Shoal is a traditional fishing ground that should be shared with neighboring countries such as China and Vietnam, according to a 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling.

Beijing, which claims almost the entire South China Sea, rejected this ruling, as CCG vessels continue to harass Filipino fishermen trying to fish there.

On Jan. 12, fisherman Jack Tabat witnessed CCG personnel forcing Filipino fishers to throw shells they already gathered back to the sea in the low-tide elevation before being driven away.

READ: Harassment of PH fishers continues – PCG

The fishers were gathering seashells in the vicinity of the south entrance of the shoal during low tide when the incident occurred. Tabat took videos of the incident which made rounds on social media.

The government admitted that there was no presence of PCG and BFAR vessels when the incident occurred but vowed to increase their presence from then on.

Año noted that, to date, BFAR’s BRP Datu Tamblot remains within the vicinity of the sandbank.

Meanwhile, both PCG and BFAR were also directed to distribute food packs, groceries, and even fuel to support the fishermen in sustaining their activities in the vicinity of Scarborough Shoal, according to Año.

Last year, the humanitarian mission of PCG and BFAR for Filipino fishers there was hounded by the CCG, according to National Security Council spokesperson Jonathan Malaya.

READ: China ship hits PH vessels on humanitarian drive with water cannon in West PH Sea

On Dec. 9, Malaya said the CCG used its water cannons against the BFAR vessels Datu Sanday, Datu Bankaw, and Datu Tamblot, causing significant damage to Datu Tamblot’s communication and navigation equipment.

Also, the CCG used a long-range acoustic device against the BFAR vessels and deployed rigid hull inflatable boats to disperse and drive away Filipino fishing vessels awaiting the distribution of fuel subsidies and food supplies, according to Malaya.