NSC bares new China harassment in Panatag

MANILA, Philippines – Chinese Coast Guard ships harassed Filipino fishermen in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal off Zambales recently despite calls by President Duterte for China to allow fishing in the area.

Three Chinese Coast Guard vessels and two Filipino boats were seen at the traditional fishing route last Sept. 6, according to Philippine Coast Guard reports submitted to the National Security Council (NSC) Task Force West Philippine Sea.

“The Chinese Coast Guard vessel moved to the location of a Filipino banca. Upon reaching the Filipino banca, a Chinese Coast Guard personnel onboard a rubber boat ordered the Filipino banca to leave the area,” the NSC quoted the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) as saying in a statement issued yesterday.

The NSC said the crew of the Filipino boat was haggling with the Chinese Coast Guard personnel to let them stay in the area to fish. Another rubber boat from Chinese Coast Guard headed towards the Filipino fishing bancas. The local fishermen, however, refused to leave the area.

“During that time, the captain of the Filipino banca signaled his crewmembers to return to their mother boat,” the NSC said.

Coast Guard operatives then spotted another Filipino boat approaching the shoal.

“When the Filipino banca was around three nautical miles from Bajo de Masinloc (another name for Panatag Shoal), it was blocked by the Chinese Coast Guard. The Filipino banca outmaneuvered the Chinese Coast Guard vessel,” the PCG report said.  

“Two Chinese rubber boats were deployed to intercept the Filipino banca from reaching Bajo de Masinloc. The Chinese rubber boats eventually disengaged and went back to their respective mother boats.”

The three Filipino boats stayed within the area for the night but left in the morning for fear of being harassed by the Chinese ships.

NSC said the PCG monitored a ship of China’s People’s Liberation Army patrolling the shoal the following day. A Chinese Coast Guard vessel was also seen near the vicinity of the shoal on Sept. 10.

“The PCG reported the Chinese Coast Guard vessel moved closer to the position of a Filipino banca. The Chinese Coast Guard vessel launched a rubber boat and encircled the banca,” NSC said.

“A number of the Chinese Coast Guard personnel were seen taking photos and videos. The Filipino banca decided to leave the area to avoid further harassment.”

The Department of National Defense (DND) said the incident goes against the ruling of the UN- backed Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA).

“Their (Chinese) action runs counter to the ruling of the PCA and denies our fisher folk access to what has always been their traditional fishing ground. We advise our countrymen to always keep their personal safety in mind when venturing into the area,” said DND Public Affairs Service director Arsenio Andolong.

Andolong said the issue is now in the hands of the diplomats.

Andolong, however, pointed out President Duterte has expressed on many occasions that military action is currently not an option.

“As of late, our government has instructed our Philippine Coast Guard to maintain a constant presence in Bajo de Masinloc. The AFP, meanwhile, will continue to monitor all activities in the area,” he said.

Sought for comment, Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said the Philippines would continue to use “quiet diplomacy” to address its maritime dispute with China.

“We have verified that these vessels are not the small kind of vessels traditional fishermen would be using to access Scarborough Shoal,” Yasay told reporters in Malacañang yesterday.

“We will thresh it out with China to see if this is true. From what we saw, they do not have any fishing activity.”

Yasay said there are no indications for now that the Chinese ships are planning to conduct reclamation in the shoal.

“It seems that our suspicion that they intend to pursue reclamation activities have no basis,” he said.

Early this month, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said at least ten Chinese ships have been spotted around Panatag. – Cecille Suerte Felipe