Philippine military calls China radio challenge 'customary'

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Major General Edgard Arevalo on Wednesday described as customary said the radio challenges of China when Filipino soldiers approached the Julian Felipe Reef recently.

In a statement, Arevalo said it was not the first time that the Philippines received such radio challenges from China.

“And those challenges have been customary. Hence, our reply is likewise customary. That we are conducting routine maritime patrol over our EEZ,” Arevalo  said.

Arevalo said it was a constitutional mandate of the  AFP to protect and defend the country’s sovereignty and sovereign rights.

“We will not renege from our commitment to dutifully perform that mandate in coordination with other agencies like the Phil Coast Guard, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and other relevant agencies comprising the NTF on West Philippine Sea,” Arevalo said.

Arevalo said the AFP regularly conducted air and naval patrols aside from other relevant measures to ensure maritime situational awareness in the Philippine territory.

During a recent maritime patrol of the AFP, radio challenges from Chinese authorities asking them to leave the area greeted Filipino soldiers.

On March 7, the Coast Guard spotted 226 Chinese vessels in Julian Felipe Reef, which is within the country's Exclusive Economic Zone, according to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana.

The number of the vessels has decreased to 183, he said.

Lorenzana earlier appealed to China to pull out the militia vessels, saying the deployment breaches maritime rights and sovereignty.

The Philippines has already filed a diplomatic protest against China over the presence of vessels off Julian Felipe Reef.

The Chinese Embassy, however, denied that the vessels were operated by Chinese Maritime Militia. It said that the fishing vessels are only "seeking shelter" near the reef, which they claimed is part of China's Nansha Islands or Spratlys in the South China Sea.

On Wednesday, the National Task Force West Philippine Sea said 44 Chinese maritime militia ships remained off Julian Felipe Reef despite the protest.

The task force added that over 200 other Chinese vessels were also seen scattered over the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG).

It also said 115 Chinese vessels are in Chigua (Kennan) Reef, 45 vessels in Pag-asa Island and 50 other vessels are dispersed in Panganiban (Mischief), Kagitingan (Fiery), and Zamora (Subi) Reefs—all within KIG.

Further, four People’s Liberation Army Navy vessels were also spotted in Panganiban Reef. --NB, GMA News