PCG looking into sending radio challenges ahead of China

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is looking into sending radio challenges first before intruding Chinese vessels or aircraft send the same within Philippine territory.

At the Saturday News Forum, Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), said the Philippine side received 25 radio challenges from the Chinese Coast Guard recently.

"We respond to their challenges by challenging them as well," Tarriela said.

GMA Integrated News' "24 Oras" on Friday reported that a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) aircraft monitoring the agency's humanitarian mission for Filipino fisherfolk in the WPS exchanged radio challenges from the Chinese Navy as the plane approached Bajo de Masinloc.

During the forum, Tarriela was asked whether there was an instance that it was the Philippines who first sent a radio challenge to an intruding vessel or aircraft.

"I think, it's immaterial whether who challenged first," he said.

"[But] we can suggest, 'Let's challenge them first'", the PCG official said.

Tarriela, nonetheless, clarified that the Philippines is not always on the receiving end of radio challenges.

"It depends. We are not always the one answering… There were instances, our Coast Guard vessels, BFAR vessels and even government aircraft, when we were the first to send the radio challenge," he said.

Not cowards

The PCG official reiterated that it is not important whether the Philippines sends the radio challenge first or not, since "we respond in a way that it's a counter challenge."

"We are not being cowards by their challenges," Tarriela said.

In the incident reported Friday, the Chinese Navy told the BFAR aircraft that it had "approached the area adjacent to China's Huangyan Island… To avoid miscalculation, please alter your course."

In response, Colonel Charles Manalo, the BFAR plane's co-pilot said: "This is the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources aircraft of the Philippine government conducting a lawful maritime patrol within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Republic of the Philippines."

"Based on the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, we are free to fly and operate as international law allows. China, as a signing member of the UNCLOS on Dec. 10, 1982, you are requested to abide by the said convention. You are way beyond the 200 nautical miles of your country. Please review your chart," Manalo said.

Apart from the floating barrier at the entrance of Bajo de Masinloc, Chinese ships have also been seen swarming the vicinity of the shoal.

Last Friday, National Security Adviser Secretary Eduardo Año said the PCG and BFAR have been instructed to deploy vessels for rotational deployment at Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal, with the goal of ensuring the country's food supply.

For its part, the PCG also on Saturday said the rotational deployment is not meant to "provoke anybody" as the Philippines only seeks to protect Filipino fishermen.

The BFAR is expecting fisheries production in the West Philippine Sea to improve as a result of the government's rotational deployment of vessels at Bajo de Masinloc. — VDV, GMA Integrated News