DND notes recent sightings, incursions of Chinese militia vessels in WPS

Department of National Defense (DND) officer in charge Jose Faustino Jr. on Thursday said that there have been recent sightings and incursions of Chinese militia vessels in the tension-filled areas in the West Philippine Sea.

"There have been there for quite some time, I don’t have the exact right now but I can provide you with the figure. Right now we have sightings of some particularly Chinese militia vessels and some of the Chinese Coast Guards in the contested areas,” Faustino said during a press briefing.

“We coordinate with the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea on how to address these incursions,” he added.

Asked about President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.'s orders regarding the incursions, Faustino said, “We don’t have any direct instruction from him but I am being guided by his pronouncements.”

“It is specific pronouncements about how we deal with China, particularly on matters involving avenues than the conflict that we are discussing here at the West Philippine Sea, so more on economic and some, he even mentioned about the possibility of a military to military exchange with China,” he added.

“Our sovereignty is inviolable and we have to protect our territorial integrity so that’s it, from those lines, the President, we will toe the line kung ano yung kanyang mga statement regarding the West Philippine Sea,” he added.

Faustino said that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) also challenged Chinese vessels approaching the country’s maritime waters, adding that there was a “communication” between PCG and Chinese Coast Guard recently.

“We also challenge the Chinese kung lumapit sila sa atin, so it's like parang nagbabatuhan tayo ng challenges diyan sa areas na 'yan and the good thing about it was I heard, I was in Palawan the other day, meron nang communication from our Coast Guard to the Chinese Coast Guard,” he said.

(We also challenge the Chinese if they approach us, so it's like we're answering challenges there in those areas and the good thing about it was I heard, when I was in Palawan the other day, there was already communication from our Coast Guard to the Chinese Coast Guard.)

“Pag lumapit tayo they challenge us, pag lumapit sila we challenge them also, so you know sa atin, ang sinasabi natin teritoryo namin ito, sa lugar na ito 'yan ang sinasagot namin sa mga challenges ng China,” he added.

(When we approach, they challenge us, when they approach us, we challenge them also, so you know, what we are saying is this is our territory, we answer the challenges of China.)

Faustino also acknowledged the country's limited assets, but said that the DND will continue to modernize and acquire more assets to conduct more maritime patrols.

He said the maritime law enforcers have also maintained their presence in tension-filled areas, including in Ayungin Shoal.

“We will insist on what we want to do because that is ours. Because of the presence nung Chinese maritime militia or the Coast Guard, minsan nagkakaroon ng confrontation. Confrontation in a way na nagkakaroon ng mga challenge. Kung magkaroon ng incursions we file diplomatic protest,” he added.

(Because of the presence of the Chinese maritime militia or Coast Guard, sometimes a confrontation occurs. Confrontation in a way that results in challenges. When incursions happen we file diplomatic protest.)

Last June, the Philippines lodged a new diplomatic protest against China's maritime activities within Manila's 200-mile exclusive economic zone, adding to more than 300 complaints filed against Beijing's "illegal" activities in the South China Sea.

China engaged in "illegal fishing" while Chinese coast guard vessels shadowed Philippine boats on a resupply mission around its shoal, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.

In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands, following a case filed by the Philippines, invalidated China's sweeping claims over the West Philippine Sea.

However, Beijing does not recognize the ruling. — BM, GMA News