China bares ‘special arrangement’ with PH on Scarborough in 2016

MANILA, Philippines (Updated) — There was a “temporary special arrangement” between China and the Philippines in 2016 over the Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal, a Beijing embassy spokesperson claimed, which was immediately repudiated by Manila.

Under this agreement, China said that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine Coast Guard,  (PCG), and other government vessels could not enter the 12 nautical miles and corresponding air space of Panatag Shoal.

“According to the temporary special arrangements by the Chinese side in 2016, Filipino fishermen can fish with small fishing boats in designated waters except the lagoon of Huangyan Dao (Panatag Shoal), while the AFP, PCG, and other Philippine government vessels and aircraft should refrain from entering the 12 nautical miles and corresponding air space of Huangyan Dao (Panatag Shoal),” the spokesperson said in a regular press briefing on Thursday.

READ: Drilon: Press for disclosure of Duterte-China ‘secret deal’

China noted that the Philippines abided with the decision for several years until President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. “disrupted” the arrangement.

“Over the past 7 plus years, the Philippine side had abided by the above agreements, and fishing by Philippine fishermen in designated areas off Huangyan Dao (Panatag Shoal) was not an issue,” the spokesperson also said.

“However, these arrangements are unilaterally disrupted by the current Philippine administration who dispatched its coast guard ships and official vessels to intrude a number of times into waters within 12 nautical miles of Huangyan Dao and encouraged the Filipino fishermen to challenge the arrangements to help promote its political agenda,” the embassy’s mouthpiece further claimed.

‘Fabrication’

PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela categorically denied such claims, calling it “fabricated.”

“We have no temporary special arrangements whatsoever,” Tarriela told reporters in a text message.

“Let us not be influenced by their fabricated stories once again, which aim to confuse the Filipino people and divert the public discourse from the real issue of their harassment and provocative actions in Bajo De Masinloc,” he also said, referring to the other name of Panatag Shoal.

Panatag Shoal escalation

Beijing’s bombshell revelation was made after the China Coast Guard (CCG) directly hit a PCG vessel with a water cannon on Tuesday, in the latest move over the sandbank seen by Manila as an escalation.

The “fatal” force of the water cannon caused damage to BRP Bagacay worth over P2 million.

READ: PCG ship hit by China water cannon suffers over P2 million in damages 

“If we are going to look at how it bent the railing of the Philippine Coast Guard vessels because of the water cannon, obviously that would be very fatal,” Tarriela said in a press conference on Tuesday.

READ: China used ‘very fatal’ water cannon pressure in latest assault 

China seized control of Scarborough Shoal’s lagoon in 2012 after a CCG standoff with Philippine vessels. At least two CCG ships have been permanently deployed inside the lagoon since then.

Beijing’s actions are based on its assertion of sovereignty in the entire South China Sea — including most of the West Philippine Sea — despite the July 2016 arbitral tribunal ruling that effectively invalidated its claims based on a case filed by Manila in 2013.

This landmark decision also included Scarborough Shoal, which was declared a traditional fishing ground that should be shared by the Philippines, China, and Vietnam.