FILE PHOTO: At the Port of Manila early Friday, the MV Kapitan Felix, a merchant marine training vessel, is loaded with a cargo of donations—and religious images (insets)—as the mother ship of the Christmas caravan launched to boost the morale of Filipino troops guarding the West Philippine Sea. PHOTOS FROM ATIN ITO COALITION
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is ready to escort the planned second civilian convoy in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, its spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo told INQUIRER.net on Friday.
“We’ll do whatever is necessary; [their] security and safety is the concern of the Coast Guard,” Balilo said over the phone.
He also said, “The Coast Guard is ready if there is a need for escort and security.”
Balilo added that the PCG will seek the guidance of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.
“They will be the one who will eventually decide,” Balilo told INQUIRER.net in a later separate text message.
However, Balilo said that the organizers have not yet reached out to the PCG about their planned caravan.
INQUIRER.net reported that the Atin Ito coalition plans to conduct another caravan for fishermen and military personnel in the sandbank in April.
Rafaela David, lead convenor of the “Atin Ito” coalition, said in a chance interview on Tuesday that “we want to [put into] center the issues of the fisherfolk affected there.”
Last year, the first-ever Christmas mission of Atin Ito proved to be a success as one of their resupply boat managed to get past Chinese vessels and reach their destination on Dec. 11, bringing gifts to civilians and non-military personnel at maritime features located at the western section of the country’s exclusive economic zone.
READ: China fails to foil Filipinos’ gift-giving mission in West PH Sea
However, this feat was not without challenges as a China Coast Guard vessel followed the caravan’s mothership, TS Kapitan Felix Oca, prompting its captain to return to a port in El Nido, Palawan, on Dec. 10. The mothership was also carrying civilians and media personnel.
INQUIRER.net and other Filipino journalists on board the mothership’s escort, BRP Melchora Aquino, also witnessed the incident. Sources in the vessel said the PCG convinced the captain to continue its course, but he still decided to return.
Notwithstanding this, MV Chowee, a smaller boat that participated in the caravan, managed to reach Lawak Island, dropping off their gifts there, which had been distributed to other maritime features.