More ships were deployed to the West Philippine Sea to ensure that Filipinos can fish in the area, despite the continued presence of "big" Chinese boats, the chief of the military said Thursday.
The reinforcements include four ships and an aircraft from the Philippine Coast Guard, six ships from the Bureau of Fisheries and the Aquatic Resorces and an undisclosed number of rubber boats from the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group, according to the West Philippine Sea Task Force.
The civilian reinforcements came after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to dispatch grey ships to the area should China drill for oil in disputed waters. Grey refers to navy ships wile white ships are civilian in nature such as the coast guard. Sending grey ships are generally seen as a provocative act.
Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, the chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, described these as "sovereignty patrols."
"As reported by our naval patrols, malalaki yung fishing boats ng China na nandyan ngayon at sophisticated yung kanilang equipment and we don't want that to continue. Otherwise, masisira yung ating marine resources," he told camp Aguinaldo reporters by phone.
"Yung massing of Chinese fishing vessels and the Chinese maritime militia ay yun yung subject na ating binabantayan, at tinitiyak natin kung di man natin sila mapaatras physically at this point in time because of also our limitation, tinityak natin na yung ating mga kapatid, mga kababayan na nangingisda dyan para sa kanilang pangkabuhayan ay tuluy-tuloy," he said.
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Chinese ships have been seen off several reefs and outcrops that are within the Philippines EEZ, including Julian Felipe or Whitsun. Before Sobejana's statement on Thursday, the last photographs of Chinese ships in the area were from April 14, courtesy of the Philippine Coast Guard.
A non-binding code of conduct between ASEAN and China bars military fortifications in the Kalayaan or Spratly Islands, thus military ships have largely stayed away from civilian areas, except when delivering supplies.
According to the West Philippine Sea Task Force, the Philippines nine island detachments in the aream, the largest of which is Pag-Asa (Thitu) Island. The detachments protect fishing grounds, the Malampaya Gas Field and Recto Bank, which is believed to contain oil reserves.
WHAT WENT BEFORE:
In 'Utmost Displeasure', Manila Summons Chinese Ambassador
U.S. Warns China: Any Attack on Philippines Will Trigger Defense Treaty
Get Out: DFA Tells China Why it Must Leave Philippine Reef
Standoff at Sea: Philippines Says Get Out, China Says Reef is Ours
Sobejana said security forces were working out a "tactical" move that would "enhance real-time or situational awareness" in the West Philippine Sea. He declined to elaborate.
Due to the expanse of the West Philippine Sea, Sobejana said it would take two to three months for one ship to scour the entire area.
"Dinodocument natin lahat ng nakikta natin, lahat ng mga violations at sinasubmit po natin yan sa NTF-WPS (National Task Force-West Philippine Sea)," he said.