MANILA, Philippines — The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) on Friday said Philippine vessels would remain on station and continue their mission near Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal despite what it described as China’s actions against government ships earlier in the day.
“The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) strongly condemns the unlawful and dangerous actions of the China Coast Guard (CCG) this morning against Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels lawfully carrying out a government mission near Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag) in support of Filipino fisherfolk,” the NTF-WPS said in a statement.
It said Philippine vessels at Bajo de Masinloc and nearby waters within the country’s exclusive economic zone “remain on station and their legitimate mission continues.”
Earlier Friday, the PCG reported that China Coast Guard vessels fired water cannons at PCG and BFAR vessels participating in the Kadiwa ng Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda program near Panatag Shoal.
The agency also said one Chinese vessel closed to within about seven meters of a Philippine vessel’s port bow, “a maneuver that placed Filipino personnel at serious risk of collision.”
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The task force said the Philippine vessels were performing “a legitimate public service” to ensure Filipino fishermen could safely exercise their traditional fishing rights at Panatag, which it said are recognized under international law and affirmed by the 2016 South China Sea arbitral award.
“The Award is final and legally binding,” the NTF-WPS said.
“It invalidated China’s expansive maritime claim because it has no basis in international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), and it affirmed the traditional fishing rights of Filipino fisherfolk at Bajo de Masinloc,” it added.
The task force said “no amount of coercion at sea by Chinese vessels can overturn a binding ruling or create rights that international law does not recognize.”
It called on the China Coast Guard to cease its “dangerous and illegal actions,” comply with its obligations under Unclos and respect the 2016 arbitral award.
The NTF-WPS said it would continue supporting operations in the West Philippine Sea to protect Filipino fishermen, uphold Philippine sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction, and implement the arbitral award “in a responsible, professional and peaceful manner.”
Panatag Shoal lies about 357 kilometers off Palauig, Zambales, well within the Philippines’ 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
China has maintained effective control of the shoal since a 2012 standoff with the Philippine Navy.
Beijing claims nearly all of the South China Sea, including areas within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea.
It continues to reject the 2016 arbitral award, which invalidated its sweeping maritime claims and affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign rights in its EEZ. /jpv
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