Dozens of Chinese military and fishing vessels are still dispersed in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) even after the Philippine government had protested what it described as incursion in its exclusive economic zone (EEZ), a top military official disclosed on Sunday, April 11.
Lt. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, chief of staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said at least 28 Chinese vessels were spotted by the military when it conducted a maritime patrol in the WPS at 8 p.m. Saturday.
He said six of them were identified as Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels, 20 were fishing vessels, and two were maritime militia-operated vessels.
The Chinese Coast Guard vessels were positioned in Pagasa Island (two ships), Ayungin Shoal (one), and Bajo de Masinloc (three). Meanwhile, the fishing vessels were monitored in Pagasa Island (two vessels), Ayungin Shoal (10), and Bajo de Masinloc (eight).
The Pagasa (Thitu) Island, Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Reef), and Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) are all located within the Philippines' 200-nautical mile EEZ.
Meanwhile, the AFP has yet to determine how many trawlers remained at the Julian Felipe Reef, which is also located in the WPS. Majority of the 220 vessels which massed near the reef on March 7 was found to have dispersed in other parts of the WPS and Kalayaan Island Group.
Last April 4, the Department of Foreign Affairs filed another diplomatic protest against China over the lingering presence of their vessels in the WPS.
This was the second diplomatic protest lodged by Manila against Beijing over the massing of Chinese vessels at the Julian Felipe Reef. It filed the first diplomatic protest on March 21.
To reciprocate the swarming of the Chinese vessels, Sobejana said the Philippine Navy sent two of its patrol ships in the WPS. These were augmented by two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels and five Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels.
"They could be further reduced because we sent our Navy ships already and we also have help coming from the Coast Guard and BFAR. However, most of these augmentation forces were still refueling," Sobejana stated.
The AFP Chief admitted that the lack of oil refueling stations in the WPS poses a big challenge for the military in patrolling the country's vast waters.
This is the reason why Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana proposed the construction of a refueling station -- particularly in Pagasa Island in Kalayaan, Palawan -- so that the military's patrol ships will no longer have to travel as far back to Palawan mainland in case they run out of fuel.
"We need to address the challenges in the logistics portion of our operations," Sobejana said.