MANILA — A Philippine Navy surveillance aircraft monitored last Sunday (April 8) eight Chinese fishing vessels anchored inside the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the course of its enforcement of the Philippine Fisheries Code and marine environment protection laws, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) announced today (April 11).
The Philippines maintains that Panatag Shoal is an integral part of its territory. The Shoal is 124 nautical miles from the nearest basepoint in Zambales Province. It is within the Philippines’ 200 nautical miles Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Continental Shelf.
To protect the marine environment and resources in the Panatag Shoal and to assert Philippine sovereignty and sovereign rights over the area as a responsible coastal state, the Navy deployed the BRP Gregorio del Pilar (PF-15) from Palawan to Northern Luzon waters last April 8 to conduct maritime patrol over the Shoal.
In the course of its patrol, BRP Gregorio del Pilar confirmed the presence of the eight Chinese fishing vessels anchored inside the lagoon of the Shoal. The Navy vessel remained in the vicinity of the Shoal for continuous monitoring of the fishing vessels.
Last Tuesday morning, BRP Gregorio del Pilar, in accordance with the established Rules of Engagement, dispatched a boarding team to inspect the fishing vessels and collect photos and other evidence of their catch. The inspection team reported that large amounts of illegally collected corals, giant clams and live sharks were found inside the compartments of the first fishing vessel that was boarded by the Navy team.
The BRP Gregorio del Pilar later reported that two Chinese maritime surveillance ships identified as Zhonggou Haijian 75 and Zhonggou Haijian 84 managed to sail at the mouth of the Shoal, placing themselves between the BRP Gregorio del Pilar and the eight Chinese fishing vessels, thus preventing the arrest of the erring Chinese fishermen.
This situation has remained unchanged as of Wednesday (April 11).
To seek a diplomatic solution, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario communicated to Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing Tuesday evening (April 10) that the Panatag Shoal is an integral part of Philippine territory and the PN is enforcing Philippine laws on the Shoal, which is within the Philippine EEZ and Continental Shelf.
Furthermore, Secretary del Rosario has invited Ambassador Ma to the DFA this morning for further discussion of this issue.
3 responses to “Philippines, China in Scarborough Shoal standoff”
That’s the problem with us Filipinos, we have a government that so hooked up with internal problems such Impeachment of CJ Corona, GMA’s trial, oil price hike, elections for 2013, etc… and the list goes on and on ….
Let’s hope incidents like this one will remind us that we have to be united. China and other countries are poaching our territorial waters, and yet all we do is just talk about it and do nothing…and yes file a diplomatic protest
Takot pala governo natin to fight para sa territorio natin…inaabuso na tau masyado ng mga instik dahil sa maliban sa very weak ang armed forces natin wala pa bayag to fight for it…ang ibang poletiko tawag daw americano…ang iba protest…siguro ang iba dyan suggest to magmamakaawa tayo sa mga instik na mumalis na kondi kawawa tau. Hay nakaaawa naman tau…mas lalo niyong pino propagate na kayang kayang ng mga instik ang sundalong pinoy!!!!Mabuti pa umalis nalang BRP Gregorio Del Pilar dyan di pala kayang iputok yang armas nila..hay nako!!!!
The Philippines bases its claim on its proximity and the principle of terra nullius, which holds that it was previously unclaimed by a sovereign state, which is also applied by thePhilippines in its claims to the Spratly Islands. By virtue of the PD No.1599 issued by President Ferdinand Marcos on June 1978, the Philippines claims an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) up to 200 nautical miles (370 km) from the baselines from which their territorial sea is measured. In 2009, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo enacted the Philippine Baselines Law of 2009 (RA 9522). The new law classifies the Spratly Islands and the Scarborough Shoal as a regime of islands under the Republic of the Philippines.