PCG presents anchor from China’s floating barrier in Scarborough Shoal

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Friday presented the anchor of the floating barrier placed by China in Scarborough Shoal.

In the video posted by GMA Integrated News’ Raffy Tima on X, three PCG personnel were seen carrying the rusty anchor with the cable still tied around it.

The anchor was presented to the media during a press conference at the PCG's Manila headquarters.

The Philippines removed the floating barrier on Monday upon the instructions of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, who also heads the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, according to the PCG.

"The decisive action of the PCG to remove the barrier aligns with international law and the Philippines’ sovereignty over the shoal," PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said on Tuesday.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said China installed the floating barrier to prevent a BFAR vessel from supposedly trespassing into Scarborough Shoal.

"On September 22, without China’s permission, a ship of the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, trespassed into the waters near Huangyan Island, and attempted to intrude into the lagoon of Huangyan Island," Wang said.

After the removal, Wenbin said the Philippines’ removal of the floating barrier “looks like nothing more than self-amusement.”

An arbitral tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands, which invalidated China’s sweeping claims over the South China Sea, ruled that no country can claim sovereign rights over the shoal, saying it is a traditional fishing ground for Filipino, Vietnamese and Chinese fishermen.

It also ruled that Beijing violated the rights of Filipinos, who were blocked by Chinese Coast Guard from fishing in the disputed shoal off northwestern Philippines.

China has refused to recognize the ruling. 

President Marcos on Friday said the Philippines is not looking for trouble following the removal of China's floating barrier.

In an interview with reporters, Marcos stood firm that the Philippine government will continue to defend and protect the country's maritime territory as well as its fishermen and their rights to use the WPS for their livelihood.

"Hindi tayo naghahanap ng gulo, basta't gagawin natin, patuloy nating ipapagtanggol ang Pilipinas, ang maritime territory ng Pilipinas, ang karapatan ng mga fisherman natin na mangisda doon sa mga areas kung saan sila nangingisda daang-daang taon na kaya't hindi ko maintindihan bakit nagkaganito," Marcos said.

(We are not looking for trouble, what we will do is we will continue to defend the Philippines, our maritime territory, as well as the rights of the Filipino fishermen to fish in the region.)

"Basta kagaya ng sabi ko, umiiwas nga tayo sa gulo, umiiwas nga tayo sa maiinit na salita ngunit matibay ang ating pagdepensa sa teritoryo ng Pilipinas," he added.

(Like I said, we are avoiding any trouble, we are avoiding harsh words but we are firm in defending our territory.)

U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for South and Southeast Asia Lindsey Ford on Thursday also commended the Philippines' action and reaffirmed Washington's security commitments to its Asian ally. —VAL, GMA Integrated News