The Philippine Coast Guard has strengthened its presence and operations in the West Philippine Sea after targeting the Ayungin Shoal with a military-grade laser by assigning the BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) to the Kalayaan Island Group.
This is what the Coast Guard shared, Friday, in response to the order of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and PCG Commandant CG Admiral Artemio Abu a few days after the said laser shooting by the Chinese at the Coast Guard.
“Shortly after its deployment to the KIG on 28 January 2023, the crew of MRRV-9701 boarded Filipino Fishing Boats (FFBs) in the waters in and around the KIG to advise Filipino fishermen and crew to radio PCG or Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) shore units in the area for any needed assistance,” the coast guard said.
“As the summer season draws near, the PCG expects the number of Filipino fishing vessels that sail and fish in the WPS to greatly increase.”
In 2022, the BRP Teresa Magbanua will be formally commissioned to assist the PCG in patrolling its maritime territory. It is also used in humanitarian missions and responding to safety concerns in Philippine waters.
The Department of Foreign Affairs first filed a diplomatic protest with the Chinese Embassy in Manila, especially since this happened within the West Philippine Sea which is covered by the internationally recognized exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.
Coast Guard sends largest maritime asset after China’s laser attack
It can be remembered that the United States, Japan, Australia, and Canada sided with the Philippines in such incident in accordance with the 2016 decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated China’s nine-dash claim in the South China Sea.
Despite this, Beijing still does not want to recognize the Philippines as having sovereign rights in the area and insists that the Philippines is “intruding” on its waters.
The Coast Guard added that it has only been a short while in the Kalayaan Island Group that it has been able to repel foreigners who have no right to the controlled waters of the Philippines.
“Over a week into its maritime patrol of the KIG and its surrounds, MRRV-9701 encountered a Vietnamese-flagged fishing vessel in the waters off Recto Bank (Reed Bank) engaged in long-line fishing operations,” they said.
“MRRV-9701 issued radio challenges and directed the foreign fishing vessel to leave the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) immediately, deploying Rigid-hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) to conduct boarding and inspection.”
Visit our Facebook page for more news updates.