Chinese militia boats painted white to look like coast guard —PCG

Chinese maritime militia vessels spotted at Bajo de Masinloc were found to be painted similar to their Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) counterparts.

According to a 24 Oras report by Chino Gaston on Wednesday, these fishing militia ships were likely replacements but lacked the CCG ships’ more sophisticated navigation and surveillance equipment and did not have CCG markings.

In photos from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the hulls and superstructures were painted white similar to CCG vessels.

The Philippine Coast Guard is looking into these changes.

“Ang pinaka conclusive evidence natin dito is that they are making use of Chinese maritime militia as their alternate vessels on these instances na wala yung presensya ng China Coast Guard to carry out the same responsibility,” said PCG Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela.

(Our most conclusive evidence is that they are making use of Chinese Maritime Militia as their alternate vessels on these instances where the presence of the Chinese Coast Guard is not available to carry out the same responsibility.)

Four Filipino fishing boats remained near Bajo de Masinloc, while the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) noted no changes with the volume of Chinese maritime militia vessels in the disputed area.

The Philippine Navy was also able to resupply all eight Philippine outposts at the Kalayaan Islands and is planning the next resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre, the grounded tank landing ship at Ayungin Shoal.

“Our own monitoring gave us a total of 55 various Chinese vessels monitored in Bajo de Masinloc, Ayungin Shoal, Pag-Asa, Panata and Lawak. Some of them would be lying to or stationary. Others would be moving, doing patrols. There would be adjustments. The broad picture is that we will not be deterred in conducting our rotation of troops and providing them their provisions, their resupplies,” said Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea.

Meanwhile, the PCG also confirmed that BRP Gabriela Silang and BRP Ventura are returning from their hydrographic mission in the West Philippine Sea to Bolinao, Pangasinan after having been shadowed by at least two CCG vessels.—Jiselle Anne Casucian/RF, GMA Integrated News