A group of fishermen feels threatened by the continuing encroachment by the China Coast Guard’s largest vessel, also known as the monster ship, in the area around Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

In a radio interview on Tuesday, New Masinloc Fishermen Association president Leonardo Cuaresma said his members are hesitant to fish in their traditional grounds as other Chinese vessels enter 15 nautical miles within the country’s territorial sea.

“Even the Chinese militia are joining the Chinese navy and Chinese coast guard in patrolling our waters,” Cuaresma said in Filipino.

He said Filipino fishermen are also encountering Chinese commercial fishing vessels.

“Thank God, they’re not touching our fishermen. However, we are not sure about this — we might make mistakes that would endanger our fishermen,” he said.

Cuaresma said the Filipino fishermen are afraid their boats would be sunk in the WPS.

The CCG’s 165-meter monster ship, vessel 5901, has not left the WPS but continues its illegal patrols near Bajo de Masinloc as of this press time.

The Philippine Coast Guard confronts the monster ship and other Chinese vessels entering the country’s exclusive economic zone with persistent radio challenges.

PCG spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela said the monster ship maintains a distance of 60 to 70 nautical miles from the Philippine coastline.

“That’s illegal — the mere fact that in their radio challenges they claim that what they are doing is a maritime patrol because they have jurisdiction over these waters,” Tarriela said.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is encouraging fishermen to exercise their right to fish in their traditional fishing grounds in the WPS.

Navy spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the AFP continues to perform its mandate of ensuring the protection and safety of Filipino fisherfolk in the disputed waters.

“The Philippine Navy regularly conducts maritime patrols at Bajo de Masinloc while the Philippine Air Force regularly holds air surveillance flights,” Trinidad said.