By Priam Nepomuceno
MANILA – The Philippine Navy monitored 34 Chinese naval and coast guard vessels in four key features of the West Philippine Sea from Feb. 22 to March 1, an official said Tuesday.
The figure is higher than the 18 recorded from Feb. 15 to 22, Navy WPS spokesperson Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad said at Camp Aguinaldo.
During the period, 12 vessels were spotted in Bajo de Masinloc, seven in Ayungin Shoal, 10 in Escoda Shoal and five off Pag-asa Island.
This can be broken down into three People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) ships and nine China Coast Guard (CCG) ships in Bajo de Masinloc; one PLAN and six CCG in Ayungin Shoal; four PLAN warships and six CCG vessels in Escoda Shoal, and two PLAN and three CCG in Pag-asa Island.
Trinidad also said the Navy monitored a total of 18,360 vessels across the country’s maritime domain from Feb. 1 to 28.
The monitoring, he said, reflects sustained maritime activity within Philippine waters.
“Of the total vessels monitored, 15,327 were foreign vessels, while 3,033 were domestic vessels. A total of 13,523 vessels responded to radio challenges, while 4,837 did not respond,” Trinidad said.
In February, the PN tracked 62 PLAN and CCG vessels in the WPS: 23 in Bajo de Masinloc (11 PLAN, 12 CCG); 17 in Ayungin (two PLAN, 15 CCG); 13 in Escoda (six PLAN, seven CCG); and nine in Pag-asa (five PLAN, four CCG).
Trinidad said monitoring remained focused on Northern Luzon, WPS, Western Mindanao and the Eastern Seaboard, consistent with maritime traffic patterns and operations.
“These figures reflect continued illegal CCP (China Communist Party) presence in areas wherein the Philippines exercises sovereignty, jurisdiction and sovereign rights,” he said. (PNA)
