Twelve Chinese vessels were recently spotted in the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
According to the statement released by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), the vessels were observed during a routine maritime patrol and aerial surveillance conducted in coordination with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in the area.
Among the vessels seen were two China Coast Guard ships (numbered 3106 and 3104) positioned outside Bajo de Masinloc, and seven Chinese maritime militia vessels operating in the surrounding waters.
Additionally, two maritime militia vessels were positioned inside the shoal which were believed to be monitoring the access routes to the area. A People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessel, bearing bow number 552, was also detected 50 nautical miles from the coast of Zambales.
Meanwhile, during a patrol operation by the PCG’s BRP Teresa Magbanua and BRP Cabra, food packages and groceries were distributed to Filipino fishermen in the area.
The PCG reported encountering 40 Filipino fishing boats engaged in fishing activities during their patrol.
Prior this, during the rotation and reprovisioning (RORE) missions of the Philippine Navy in December to the nine islands in the West Philippine Sea, four additional Chinese vessels were seen near the Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal. No hostile incidents occurred during the said missions.
