THE military has monitored 203 Chinese vessels at several features in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) in the South China Sea (SCS) over the past week, up by 40 compared to the previous week.
“This is the highest we have recorded (in these) features in the WPS for this year,” Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Philippine Navy’s spokesman for the WPS, said yesterday.
“We can attribute the surge to the attention given to Sabina/Escoda Shoal in the last few weeks,” Trinidad added.
Escoda Shoal, about 70 nautical miles from mainland Palawan, had been the site of recent Chinese harassment against Philippine Coast Guard vessels in the past weeks.
The latest harassment at the shoal was last Saturday, aimed at BRP Teresa Magbanua, which incurred damage after it was subjected to dangerous maneuvers and rammed three times by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel.
There were 71 Chinese vessels monitored at Escoda Shoal from August 27 to September 2, compared to 53 the previous week. The 71 is composed of 53 maritime vessels, nine Navy ships and nine Coast Guard vessels.
There were 52 Chinese vessels (50 maritime militia vessels, one Navy ship and one Coast Guard vessel) monitored at Pag-asa Island during the same period, up from 35 the previous week.
There was also an increase of Chinese vessels at Ayungin Shoal where 26 Chinese vessels — 17 maritime militia, eight Coast Guard vessels, and one Navy ship — were monitored during the same period. There were only 23 Chinese vessels in the area during the previous week.
The 54 other Chinese vessels were monitored at Iroquois Reef (36 maritime militia vessels), Scarborough Shoal (eight maritime vessels, six Coast Guard vessels, one research and survey vessel, and one Navy ship), Kota Island (one maritime militia vessel), and Rizal Reef (one research and survey vessel).
“While it (increase) is not normal, it is within the range of the capability they (Chinese) could project in the SCS/WPS,” said Trinidad.
As to the Chinese intention, Trinidad said: “As to their plans, I do not want to speculate, but rest assured we have contingencies in place as we continue to protect our territory.”
Trinidad said the increase in the number of Chinese vessels in these areas “will not justify their illegal presence, their coercive and aggressive actions and their deceptive narratives.”
“The PN (Philippine Navy) and the AFP will continue to perform their mandate to protect our territory as we uphold international law and contribute to regional peace and stability,” he reiterated.
EU AMBASSADOR
The new ambassador-designate of the European Union arrived in the country yesterday, vowing to pick up where his predecessor left off and further enhance the ties between the 26-member bloc and the Philippines.
“EU Ambassador-designate Massimo Santoro has arrived in the Philippines and looks forward to starting his duties after he has presented credentials to H.E. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos. EU and the Philippines are working together to continue enhancing their excellent relations,” the EU said in a brief statement posted on its official social media account.
Santoro was the head of the Division for Policy Coordination and head of the Office of the European External Action Service Secretary-General prior to his appointment as top envoy to Manila.
He replaced Luc Veron who ended his stint in Manila after four years.
The EU is the Philippines’ fourth largest trading partner, while the Philippines is the EU’s seventh most important trading partner in the Southeast Asian region and 41st worldwide.
The regional bloc is also one of the country’s largest investors, with foreign direct investments reaching 13.7 billion euros. — With Ashzel Hachero
