The Philippine Navy has spotted around 50 Chinese vessels and fishing boats in the West Philippine Sea as of 26 February.

“The number has been fairly constant,” Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, the Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said in a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo on Tuesday.

Trinidad reported there were four China Coast Guard vessels and around 10 to 17 Chinese fishing vessels were swarming the Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag or Scarborough shoal).

There were two CCG vessels and four fishing boats in the Ayungin Shoal.

Also, Trinidad said a Chinese Navy warship, a CCG vessel, and 16 fishing boats, were spotted in Pagasa Island.

The authorities also monitored nine fishing boats in the Panata Island while two were seen in the Parola Island, according to Trinidad.

Further, no Chinese vessels were monitored in the Likas Island, Lawak Island, Rizal Reef, and Kota Island, while Sabina Shoal was not mentioned in the enumeration.

Trinidad recalled only 11 Chinese ships and fishing boats were monitored in the WPS on 13 February.

Chinese warship in Scarborough Shoal

In a separate media briefing on Tuesday, PCG spokesperson for the WPS, Commodore Jay Tarriela, confirmed the presence of the Chinese warships in the vicinity of the Bajo de Masinloc.

Tarriela said there were at least three People's Liberation Army Navy warships sailed near the Bajo de Masinloc during the latest mission of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in the area.

He, however, noted the warships have maintained a distance of more than 20 nautical miles away from the shoal.

“It is important for us to note that within Bajo de Masinloc, the 12 nautical miles, we have territorial sovereignty over these waters…So these Chinese warships have always maintained that they are outside the 12 nautical miles,” said Tarriela.

Tarriela likewise confirmed the BFAR was able to monitor the presence of a gray-colored helicopter with Chinese markings “that flew over the waters” of Bajo de Masinloc.

The marking means “Chinese Navy” if translated to English, Tarriela said.

“This is the first time that we have sighted this kind of aircraft in the area,” he added.

For his part, Trinidad said the presence of the Philippine Navy and the PCG in the Bajo de Masinloc may be attracting the Chinese PLA Navy ships to also go in the area.

“The tempo in Bajo de Masinloc observed by naval forces Norther Luzon is that, each time a navy ship goes out on regular maritime patrols a PLA navy ship also goes out there and it is a coast guard vessel that goes out there,” he said.

Trinidad said there is a need to further “synchronize the actions” of Filipino fishermen, PCG, and the BFAR as well as other government’s maritime players in the shoal.

He lamented the AFP desires to monitor the area 24/7 but the naval forces have “to get to the capability yet.”

Phl backs cyanide fishing probe

On the other hand, Trinidad said the Philippine Navy is backing the Senate’s resolution pushing to investigate the alleged use of cyanide by Chinese fishermen in the Bajo de Masinloc.

“[Any] maritime law enforcement and other measures to preserve the environment are the primary mandate of the appropriate government agencies, the Philippine Navy supports these agencies, we have the rules of engagement that dictate our actions,” he said.

“We are ready to respond to any action that will prevent the loss of life or property at sea in accordance with rules of engagement and to international law,” he added.