Navy monitors Chinese research vessel within Palawan waters

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Navy detected a Chinese research vessel within the eastern waters of Palawan on Sunday, Navy spokesman for the West Philippine Sea Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said.

Chinese research vessel Lan Hai 101 was monitored navigating the waters of Palawan, its presence identified by the Littoral Monitoring Station (LMS) Melville, which promptly issued a challenge.

“In response to the challenge issued by LMS Melville, the crew aboard the CRV Lan Hai 101 communicated that their rerouting through the eastern waters of Palawan was necessitated by adverse sea conditions on the western side,” Trinidad said yesterday in a statement. 

“They assured us that the vessel would continue its transit while adhering to the rights of innocent passage through the Philippine archipelagic sea lanes, opting to exit near Coron, Palawan,” he added.

To ensure the navigational safety and sovereignty of the region, the Western Command deployed the Philippine Navy vessel BRP Andres Bonifacio alongside the Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Melchora Aquino to escort the Lan Hai 101. 

The joint operation, the Navy said, underscores the commitment of the Navy to safeguard the maritime interests of the Philippines.

“The Armed Forces of the Philippines remains vigilant in its efforts to monitor maritime activities in the vicinity and reaffirms its commitment to maintaining the safety and security of the Philippine archipelago. The deployment of naval and coast guard assets serves as a testament to the collaborative approach in addressing maritime challenges,” Trinidad said.

Maritime cooperation

Meanwhile at the Senate, Sen. Risa Hontiveros welcomed the country’s maritime cooperative activity with the United States, Australia and Japan to ensure a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific.

Hontiveros said the MCA is a demonstration of solidarity that strengthens the international consensus that the Chinese government’s territorial claims in the West Philippine Sea are baseless and in direct violation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. — Cecille Suerte Felipe