PH, US, Japan coast guards discuss possible patrols in high seas — PCG

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Wednesday said it has discussed with its counterparts in Japan and the United States the possibility of conducting patrols outside the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) or what is considered the high seas.

In a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon interview, PCG commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said that the three countries discussed the matter during the recent Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore.

“Napag usapan din namin yung posibilidad na sila ay sasakay sa barko natin… sa pag papatrolya sa high seas. ‘Yun pong karagatan na lampas na po sa ating EEZ,” Gavan said.

(“We discussed the possibility that they will board our ship… to patrol the high seas, the waters beyond our EEZ.)

In a press statement, PCG said the US Coast Guard shared it will deploy its North Pacific Coast Guard to support the PCG in upholding its sovereign rights in the WPS.

The USCG also emphasized the need to conduct further training, develop dynamic tactics and procedures, and prepare ships equipped to counter evolving threats in the high seas.

The Japan Coast Guard, on the other hand, proposed the conduct of more personnel exchanges to create a robust network of Coast Guard counterparts in pursuit of maritime law enforcement and rule of law.

It also recognized the PCG’s "courageous and law-abiding stance" in the face of the current situation in the Philippines’ (EEZ).

The Philippines has classified a portion of the waters within its 220-nautical mile or 370.4-kilometer EEZ in the South China Sea as the West Philippine Sea (WPS). China is claiming a significant part of the WPS as its own territory despite an arbitration in the Hague that ruled in the Philippines' favor.

“Naging pong isyu sa ngayon dahil may po yung isang bansa gustong mag-board ng mga mangingisda papalaot sa bandang iyon,” he added.

(It has become an issue right now because there is a certain country that wants to board our fishermen’s vessels when they sail into that area.)

According to Gavan, there is no timeline yet for possible joint patrols for this year.

Beijing recently issued a regulation empowering its coast guard to detain foreigners that it claims are trespassing in the South China Sea following the Philippine civilian mission to the WPS.

The China Coast Guard (CCG) can detain trespassers without trial, the South China Morning Post reported on Thursday, citing a regulatory document of Beijing set to take effect in June.

"Foreigners suspected of illegally passing China's borders can be held for up to 60 days," according to the media report.—RF, GMA Integrated News