The swarming of Chinese maritime militia (CMM) vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) continues as more than 135 Sino boats were monitored in Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) bared on Sunday, Dec. 3.

PCG Commandant, Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan said they initially spotted 111 CMM vessels in the area last Nov. 13 while the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) conducted its own monitoring and found out that the number further increased to 125 vessels.

In response to the "alarming" development, National Security Adviser (NSA) and National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) Chairman Eduardo Año directed the PCG to carry out a maritime patrol to challenge and document the illegal presence of the CMM in Julian Felipe Reef. 

Gavan said he deployed patrol vessels BRP Sindangan and BRP Cabra in the vicinity of Julian Felipe Reef on Dec. 2 to conduct a maritime patrol and challenge the presence of the militia vessels.

"No response was made to the radio challenges issued by the PCG to the CMM vessels which is now estimated to have grown to more than 135 vessels dispersed and scattered within Julian Felipe Reef," said Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesperson for the NTF-WPS.

Gavan ordered the PCG to sustain its maritime patrol in the area while monitoring of the militia vessels were ongoing.

"The PCG maintains its unwavering commitment to safeguarding maritime security, safety and the marine environment  in the course of protecting the territorial integrity, sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction of the Philippines in the West Philippine Sea  in accordance with international laws including  the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the 2016 Arbitral Award and Philippine domestic laws," Tarriela said.

Julian Felipe Reef is located 175 nautical miles west of Bataraza, Palawan. 

It is considered a low-tide elevation within the territorial sea of high tide features in the Kalayaan Island Group (Spratly Islands) over which the Philippines asserts its sovereignty.

The swarming of CMM vessels in Julian Felipe Reef has long been observed although it was only in recent years that the NTF-WPS made it known to the public.

In March 2021, the NTF-WPS revealed the presence of 220 CMM vessels in Julian Felipe Reef while moored in line formation that showed no signs of fishing activities. Authorities suspected that the vessels could be undertaking early stages of reclamation works but the Chinese Embassy in Manila denied this and insisted the formation of their militia vessels was a standard fishing practice.

A month later, a total of 258 Chinese vessels were seen dispersed in various areas in the West Philippine Sea including Julian Felipe Reef, Kenna (Chigua) Reef, Pag-asa (Thitu) Island, Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, Kagitingan (Fiery) Reef, and Zamora (Subi) Reef which all lies within the Kalayaan Island Group, Palawan.