Some of the Chinese maritime militia (CMM) vessels monitored near Pagasa (Thitu) Island in the Kalayaan Island Group, West Philippine Sea (WPS) earlier this week have already left but their navy warship and coast guard ship were still loitering the area, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) disclosed on Friday, March 10.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea, said this was the observation made by the PCG after it conducted a maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight over Pagasa Island on Thursday, March 9.

He said that from 42 CMM vessels observed near Pagasa Island last March 4, the number decreased to 15 vessels on March 9. 

However, Tarriela added: “The PLA [People’s Liberation Army] Navy’s Jiangdao Class warship and CCG [China Coast Guard] vessel 5203 continue to loiter within Pagasa’s 12-nautical mile territorial sea.”

 

The PCG also surveyed Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal and they saw another coast guard ship, CCG 5304, maintaining presence roughly six nautical miles from BRP Sierra Madre.

BRP Sierra Madre is a Philippine Navy ship that was deliberately ran aground off Ayungin Shoal to serve as a Philippine military outpost.

The PCG also flew over Sabina Shoal, which is located approximately 123.6 nautical miles from Palawan. They noted that the number of CMM vessels in the area went down to 17 from 26 vessels two weeks ago.

As they flew over these areas, the PCG said they received seven radio challenges from the CCG.

“The PCG joins AFP-WesCom [Armed Forces of the Philippines – Western Command] in reiterating that current efforts of our civilian and uniformed services promote adherence to an international rules-based order, and strengthen established bilateral and multilateral mechanisms to avoid conflict and maintain peace and stability in the West Philippine Sea and South China Sea,” Tarriela stressed.

Tarriela said a complete report on the MDA flight will be endorsed to the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea “for review and analysis.”