PH Navy on report of China carrier, monster ship in WPS: 'We are aware of them'

Amid the reported presence of a Chinese aircraft carrier and the "monster" ship of the China Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Navy on Tuesday said they were monitoring the country's maritime domain and were aware of the ships.

“They are authorized under UNCLOS either through freedom of navigation or right of innocent passage. Rest assured the Philippine Navy and the Armed Forces will continue monitoring the vast expanse of our maritime domain,” said Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said in a press briefing.

While the number of Chinese vessels spotted in WPS  decreased from 129 to 95, Philippine Navy data showed that China’s  People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships increased from five to six.

From June 25 to July 1, several Chinese vessels were seen in several features of the WPS:

• Bajo de Masinloc - five Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels, one PLAN ship, and eight Chinese maritime militia (CMM) vessels
• Ayungin Shoal - five CCGs, one PLAN, and 13 CMMs
• Pagasa Islands - one CCG, one PLAN, 20 CMMs
• Panata Island - one PLAN, seven CMMs
• Sabina Shoal - two CCGs, one PLAN, and three CMMs
• Julian Felipe Reef - 20 CMMs
• Recto Bank - four CMMs

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. earlier said the Philippine government had to do more than file protests against China’s aggressive actions in the WPS.

He made the statement after the Philippines sent China another note verbale after a Filipino sailor lost his thumb in an incident in Ayungin  Shoal.

"We have over a hundred protests. We have already made a similar number of demarche, so we have to do more than just that," Marcos said.

"Kasi papatawag natin 'yung ambassador, sasabihin natin ito 'yung position  natin, hindi natin gusto 'yung nangyari, and that’s it,'' he added.

(We will call the ambassador, we will say this is our position, we don't like what happened, and then that's it.)

"But we have to do more than that, so we are doing just that."

Regarding this, Trinidad said, “We do not comment on matters of national policy.  Rest assured the defense establishment of the Armed Forces has the  appropriate strategy not only for internal security but more importantly for the WPS.”

Asked if the BRP Magbanua became an outpost in Escoda Shoal, Trinidad said concerned agencies have to protect the WPS through extended deployment of vessels.

“The Philippine Navy, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Fisheries and  Aquatic Resources (BFAR) have to be sure that our territory is intact,  our sovereignty and sovereign rights are protected,” he said.

“This will mean increased presence. This will mean increased maritime patrols. This will mean stationed ships longer than necessary,” he added.

Currently, the Philippines has BRP Sierra Madre as an outpost in Ayungin Shoal.

Tensions in the WPS continue amid China’s massive claim in the South China Sea  (SCS) including the portion the Philippines refers to as the West  Philippine Sea (WPS).

The SCS is a conduit for more than $3 trillion in annual ship commerce.  Aside from the Philippines, China has overlapping claims with Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei in the sea.

In 2016, an international  arbitration tribunal in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over  China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that China had "no legal  basis."

China does not recognize the decision. — DVM, GMA Integrated News