PCG drives seven foreign fishing vessels away from Exclusive Economic Zone

The Philippine Coast Guard on Sunday said it "successfully dispersed" on June 30 seven foreign fishing vessels found to be in the country's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

The vessels were identified via radar and automatic identification system (AIS) as five Chinese ships and two Vietnamese ships, PCG spokesperson Commodore Armand Balilo said.

The ships were found in the vicinity of Marie Louise Bank, 147 nautical miles off El Nido, Palawan.

Using a Long Range Acoustic Devise (LRAD), the PCG sent a message to the foreign vessels.

"To unidentified foreign vessel at Marie Louise Bank, this is Philippine Coast Guard BRP Cabra MRRV 4409. You are within Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone. You are requested to provide the following: name of vessel, intention, last and next port of call at Channel 16," a PCG staff member said.

The PCG also checked on 34 Filipino fishermen who were on board F/B XIROXIRA from San Jose, Occidental Mindoro which was also in the vicinity of Marie Louise Bank.

"The Filipino fishermen said they were able to conduct normal fishing operations in the past two weeks without any untoward incidents at sea," the PCG said.

Marie Louise Bank is part of the Spratly Islands in the West Philippine Sea.

President Rodrigo Duterte said in May that the country will continue to send patrols in its EEZ in the West Philippine Sea. —KG, GMA News