PCG drives off foreign vessel near Palawan

PALAWAN — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) drove away another unauthorized foreign fishing vessel from waters off Kota Island in Kalayaan, Palawan, on Sunday, 18 October, marking its fourth operation against foreign vessels in the area in three weeks.

According to the PCG, High-Speed Response Boat HSRB-019 spotted the foreign fishing vessel approximately 1.75 nautical miles north-northwest of Kota Island on Sunday morning, within the island's 12-nautical-mile territorial sea.

The response boat immediately proceeded to the area to reinforce two PCG rubber boats already confronting the vessel.

Coast Guard personnel maintained a close presence and issued repeated radio challenges directing the foreign vessel to leave Philippine territorial waters.

The vessel eventually withdrew without incident, after which the Coast Guard boats returned to Kota Island.

The latest encounter followed three earlier operations involving unauthorized foreign vessels near the island.

On 28 September and 9 October, the PCG drove away Chinese Maritime Militia Vessel 9622 and its smaller boats.

Another operation on 11 October resulted in the departure of five foreign fishing vessels from waters surrounding Kota Island.

The Coast Guard also reported driving away a Chinese fishing vessel and four smaller boats near Lawak Island on 15 October.

The PCG did not identify the nationality of the foreign vessel involved in Sunday's encounter.

Kota Island forms part of the municipality of Kalayaan, Palawan, where the Philippines exercises sovereignty over its territorial sea.

The Coast Guard emphasized that foreign vessels are prohibited from conducting unauthorized fishing activities in Philippine territorial waters under the Philippine Fisheries Code and the Philippine Maritime Zones Act.

Under PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, the deployment of HSRB-019 is intended to strengthen the agency's rapid-response capability against unauthorized maritime activities.

The PCG said it would continue monitoring the Kalayaan Island Group in coordination with the Philippine Marine Corps to protect Philippine waters and the rights of Filipino fishermen.