‘Chinese vessels may block Xmas convoy’

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THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) yesterday said there is a possibility that Chinese maritime militia vessels swarming at a reef in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) will block a “Christmas convoy” being planned by a coalition of non-government organizations in the area.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman for WPS, said in a radio interview that PCG ships will be sent to escort the Christmas convoy of the “Atin Ito” coalition.

“There is a possibility that some of these Chinese maritime militia vessels can be deployed, (will) block the Christmas convoy,” said Tarriela in mixed English and Filipino, referring to the Chinese vessels swarming at Julian Felipe Reef.

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Atin Ito co-convenor Edicio dela Torre said the Chinese vessels “might block (the convoy) at whatever point.”

“Our basic position is we will avoid confrontation. We will take the cue from the Coast Guard,” said Dela Torres when asked what will they do in the event the Chinese will block the convoy.

Recent PCG monitoring showed at least 135 Chinese maritime militia vessels at the reef which is well within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

The Christmas convoy will be passing near the Ayungin Shoal where Chinese Coast Guard ships and Chinese maritime militia vessels have harassed military resupply missions in the past months.

“The distance of Julian Felipe (Reef) and Ayungin Shoal is about 60 nautical miles. It’s far (from Ayungin Shoal) but, again, we cannot discount the possibility that despite of their distance, they might go there (at Ayungin Shoal) and block the convoy,” said Tarriela.

Nevertheless, Tarriela said, they are not expecting all the Chinese maritime vessels in the vicinity of Julian Felipe Reef to proceed to Ayungin Shoal to harass the Christmas convoy.

Atin Ito’s December 10 to 12 Christmas mission will involve 40 boats. The group aims to distribute Christmas gifts to troops and fishermen in the West Philippine Sea. It will turn over to the military the gifts intended for troops at Ayungin Shoal as it is not allowed to go to the shoal. The military will later deliver the gifts, during routine resupply missions at Ayungin Shoal.

Tarriela said the PCG is prepared to escort the Christmas convoy. However, he could not immediately say if all the three PCG ships assigned in Palawan will be escorting the convoy.

Troops at Ayungin Shoal are staying at the BRP Sierra Madre, a rusting Philippine Navy ship that was grounded at the shoal in 1999 to serve as military outpost.

“Our agreement (with Atin Ito) is that will just be a visual path, they will just pass (BRP) Sierra Madre but we won’t give them access to go on board or even get near BRP Sierra Madre,” said Tarriela.

Meanwhile, Sen. Francis Tolentino said he was able to talk to Philippine Ambassador to China Jaime FlorCruz in his office at the Senate where they discussed the presence of the Chinese vessels in Julian Felipe Reef.

Tolentino said FlorCruz was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo to his office to consult with him on some other matters, but he took the opportunity to ask him about the swarming and also asked what he knew of Beijing’s plans to do about the Christmas convoy. However, their talk was cut short by the earthquake which was felt at around 4:20 p.m.

“I asked the ambassador on whether he knows of Beijing’s plan about that Christmas convoy. Our talk was not finished since there was an earthquake,” Tolentino said in Filipino in a chance interview at the Senate grounds where senators and employees gathered for safety.

Tolentino has urged Malacañang to recall FlorCruz as ambassador of the Philippines to China as a protest on harassment of China on the country’s vessels in the West Philippine Sea. Tolentino said he got information that FlorCruz would leave the post on Sunday.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said the continued swarming of Chinese vessels in Julian Felipe Reef is a “blatant disrespect” of the Philippines’ sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Senate deputy minority leader Risa Hontiveros said the latest swarming clearly shows that Beijing, not Manila, is the one creating trouble in that part of the West Philippine Sea.

“This is appalling but again, not surprising. We have seen this before. In 2021, over 200 ships were moored near Julian Felipe Reef, urging our government to file a diplomatic protest. In 2022, they returned again. And now, it is happening again,” she said in a mix of Filipino and English. — With Raymond Africa

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