PH Navy maintains Chinese vessels should not be in Rozul Reef

An official of the Philippine Navy (PN) on Monday stood firm that the 32 Chinese maritime militia vessels reportedly spotted in Rozul Reef on Sunday should not be lingering there as the reef is located within the Philippine’s exclusive economic zone.

PN spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, however, admitted that they are no longer surprised by the presence of Chinese vessels in the Rozul Reef, which is also known as the Iroquois Reef. He said the number of Chinese vessels going there is just changing depending on their activity.

“Anuman ang gagawin nila, in the first place, they should not even be there. Dapat wala diyan ‘yung mga, tinatawag ko diyan mga agents of aggression ng Tsina. Sila ay pumapasok sa ating exclusive economic zone,” he said.

(They shouldn't even be there in the first place regardless of what they plan to do. Those people, I call them agents of aggression of China, should not be there. They are entering our exclusive economic zone.)

“‘Yan dapat ang puntiryahin natin. Bakit sila nanghihimasok sa atin?”

(That’s what we should focus on. Why are they interfering with our territorial waters?)

Rozul Reef is located to the south of Reed Bank where dead coral had recently been allegedly dumped.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) earlier confirmed the swarming presence of the Chinese, who were not seen to be fishing, in the disputed waters.

In Chino Gaston's 24 Oras report, the PCG spotted 32 Chinese vessels aside from the vessels of the Chinese Coast Guard in Rozul Reef.

“They swarm our own exclusive economic zone, or perhaps ang ginagawa ng mga Chinese maritime militia na ito, they are always the... alam mo 'yung parang reserve force ng kung anumang harassment ang gagawin ng China Coast Guard,” PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said.

(They swarm our own exclusive economic zone, or perhaps these Chinese maritime militia are the reserve force to whatever harassment the Chinese Coast Guard will do.)

The PCG also said the patrolling BRP Datu Pagbuaya issued radio challenges to the militia vessels but received no response.

According to Trinidad, a radio challenge is only a normal procedure of a coastal state whenever they see an intruder or any vessel that is not theirs.

“In case in the West Philippine Sea, hindi tayo iniimik ng mga ‘yan (China). We establish the communications, we tell them that they are in our exclusive economic zone and lahat ito naka-record at binbigay sa kaukulang ahensya ng gobyerno for the appropriate action, usually diplomatic protest ng DFA,” he said.

(In the case of the West Philippine Sea, China does not respond to us. We usually establish the communications, we tell them that they are in our exclusive economic zone and all of these are  recorded and given to the appropriate government agency for the appropriate action, usually a diplomatic protest by the DFA.)

He also emphasized that authorities should continue to stand up for their sovereignty and sovereign rights.

In April, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources found crushed coral in the seabed of Rozul Reef.  

The presence of China Coast Guard vessels in the Rozul Reef was monitored days after China harassed the PCG’s marine scientists who went to Sabina Shoal to look into its environmental damage.— RSJ/RF, GMA Integrated News