Gapay admits Chinese vessels in West Philippine Sea increased amid COVID-19 pandemic

Armed Forces chief General Gilbert Gapay on Monday admitted that the presence of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea has been strong amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an interview on Dobol B sa News TV, Gapay said the Philippine military has monitoring capabilities to detect the presence of foreign vessels.

"Yes, dumami 'yan dahil namomonitor na natin. Dati kasi marami na talaga pero wala tayong capability to monitor. Ngayon mayroon na tayong monitoring capability at 'yun nga nakita na natin kung gaano kalawak ang operasyon ng Chinese, 'yung People's Liberation Army diyan sa West Philippine Sea," Gapay said.

"Halo-halo na 'yan, kalimitan diyan 'yung mga fishing vessel nila, nandiyan na rin 'yung kanilang maritime exploration and research vessels. These are backed-up by warships at 'yung Coast Guard ng Chinese forces," he added.

Gapay noted that government forces have been challenging foreign vessels especially if they are already encroaching in the Philippine waters.

"We challenge them and lalong-lalo na pag medyo they are encroaching already in our territorial waters, talagang monitor na monitor na natin sila at okay naman, everybody is cooperating in the area," he said.

So far, the activities of Chinese vessels in the area were not hostile, according to Gapay. He said the activities were all legitimate.

"'Yung activities naman ng Chinese vessels, when they are performing 'yung mga fishing activities nila, may research vessels din na namomonitor, these are legitimate naman and these are not hostile activities on the part of Chinese vessels," Gapay said at a Laging Handa press briefing.

The AFP chief said the Philippine government has also been filing diplomatic protests against China's intrusive actions.

Last week,  the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) said the Asian Superpower has continued to patrol the West Philippine Sea from December 2019 to November 2020, even heightening the frequency of its patrols in the Ayungin and Scarborough Shoals.

This is despite the ongoing health crisis.

Lawyer Jay Batongbacal of the University of the Philippines' Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea has said China was making it clear to other nations that it has full control of the disputed territories.—AOL, GMA News