AFP, PCG to intensify patrol to ensure Chinese vessels leave Iroquois Reef

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) are set to intensify patrols in the Iroquois Reef in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) after 48 Chinese vessels were recently spotted “swarming” in the area.

Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB on Sunday, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela pointed out that Iroquois Reef is only 128 nautical miles away from Palawan and thus falls within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

“Currently, based on our last monitoring report, the Chinese maritime militia’s based in that area. The PCG and AFP, for this coming week, will be intensifying our patrol to make sure that they will leave Iroquois Reef,” he said.

The PCG may deploy its 97-meter and 44-meter coast guard vessels in the follow-up operations to drive the Chinese vessels away from Philippine territory, he added.

Lieutenant Karla Andres, co-pilot of Philippine Navy's light patrol aircraft, said the 48 Chinese fishing vessels seen near Iroquois Reef through an air patrol conducted on June 30 were observed to be "anchored in groups of five to seven and no fishing activities were noticed."

Based on earlier Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) flights, AFP Western Command (Wescom) said the number of Chinese fishing vessels in the area increased from 12 in February to 47 on June 12.

“Itong [these] Chinese maritime militia, that’s their usual strategic objective. That is for them to occupy a particular maritime feature, to swarm the area for a very long period of time. Kung hindi mo sila mapapansin [if you don’t notice them], they will increase their number eventually,” Tarriela said.

In a separate interview on Super Radyo dzBB on Saturday, Tarriela said this is not the first time such a maneuver has been done by China.

"Sa Philippine Coast Guard, we already had this experience of reporting this swarming of Chinese maritime militia. Sa aming pag-analisa, ang intensyon nito is to swarm a particular area and to take control of it," said Tarriela.

Tarriela, however, said this was the first time they saw a large number of Chinese vessels in the area.

Near Sabina Shoal

Aside from these Chinese fishing vessels, three China Coast Guard (CCG) ships and two People's Liberation Army Navy vessels were seen "regularly loitering" near Sabina Shoal, according to Wescom.

Tarriela said Philippine authorities immediately publicize such swarming incidents by Chinese maritime militia on Philippine territory, then deploy coast guard vessels and AFP assets to drive away the foreign vessels.

“Once we publicize these events, nako-condemn sila ng international community at nagsasalita ang kaniya kaniyang embahada para i-criticize ang ganitong aktibidades ng China. Kapag finollow up-an pa natin ito ng deployment ng ating government assets, umaalis naman sila. They are driven away immediately,” he added.

(Once we publicize these events, the international community condemns them and various embassies criticize such activities of China. When we follow up with the deployment of our government assets, they leave immediately.)

"Ang Iroquois Reef ay southern part ng Recto Bank. Dito tayo maraming service contract when it comes to oil exploration," explained Tarriela.

(Iroquois Reef is the southern part of Recto Bank where we have a lot of service contracts when it comes to oil exploration.)

"Recto Bank is a vital feature within the Philippines' Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and China must cease its swarming of vessels to respect our sovereign rights," said Wescom spokesperson Commander Ariel Coloma.

GMA News Online has sought comment from the Chinese Embassy on the matter but it has yet to provide a statement as of posting time. —KG, GMA Integrated News