The Armed Forces of the Philippines on Friday confirmed the presence of Chinese warships near Onok Island in Balabac, Palawan days after the China Coast Guard harassed Filipino troops at Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

Col. Xerxes Trinidad, AFP Public Affairs chief, said the military monitored four People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships transiting within 12 nautical miles of Palawan through Balabac Strait on 19 June.

Two vessels were identified as the PLAN destroyer Luyang III (DDG-168) and the frigate Jiangkai II (FFG-570), both moving at a speed of 13 knots.

The two other vessels were the destroyer Renhai (CG-105) and the replenishment oiler Fuchi (AOR-907), moving at 15 knots.

The Chinese warships were headed southwest, according to Trinidad.

“As part of standard operating procedure, these vessels were challenged and they responded accordingly,” he said.

Trinidad clarified that Balabac Strait “is commonly used by international vessels” passing through Philippine waters.

“Our capability to monitor and respond to such activities is a testament to our commitment to maritime domain awareness and the protection of our territory, sovereignty, and sovereign rights,” he said.

“Rest assured the AFP remains vigilant in safeguarding our maritime interests,” he added.

Balabac Strait is one of the sea passages connecting the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea.

Ayungin confrontation

Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos is pushing for an inquiry into Monday’s confrontation between the China Coast Guard and Philippine military personnel at Ayungin Shoal, where at least eight Filipino sailors were injured.

In her proposed Senate Resolution No. 1055, which she filed on Thursday, Marcos noted that the incident must be examined further “to determine how the government can better protect Filipino servicemen and citizens during rotation and resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal.”

Likewise, she highlighted the need to “ascertain what changes should be made to the current strategies employed by the Philippine government in order to allow the country to more effectively and safely assert its sovereign rights.”

Earlier this week, Chinese state media claimed that a Philippine vessel deliberately collided with a China Coast Guard vessel. However, the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea refuted this, saying the Chinese vessels executed dangerous maneuvers, including ramming and towing the Filipinos’ boats.

Eighth Filipino sailors were injured in the incident,with one losing a finger.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said CCG personnel who intercepted the resupply mission wielded bolos, knives and spears.

“This most recent incident marks a serious escalation in the aggressiveness of the People’s Republic of China in intercepting Philippine rotation and resupply missions to Ayungin Shoal,” Marcos said in the resolution.

The Philippines, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, condemned what it described as “illegal and aggressive actions” of the China Coast Guard against Filipino troops.

It also called on China to “act sincerely and responsibly, and refrain from behavior that puts to risk the safety of personnel and vessels.”

Similarly, the department urged China to comply with international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award.

China claims the vast South China Sea, including Ayungin Shoal, which is 105 nautical miles west of Palawan and is part of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

In 2016, the Philippines won its arbitral case against the People’s Republic of China in the Permanent Court of Arbitration — a landmark decision that Beijing continues to reject.