2 China Coast Guard ships shadow 'Atin Ito' vessel -- PH Navy
Two China Coast Guard (CCG) ships tailed training ship (T/S) Kapitan Felix Oca, the vessel carrying civilian volunteers of the “Atin Ito” Coalition sailing to Pag-asa (Thitu) Island in the West Philippine Sea, a ranking Philippine Navy (PN) official disclosed Tuesday, May 27.
Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, PN spokesperson for WPS, said the vicinity of Pag-asa Island has a “normal presence” of Chinese maritime militia and coast guard vessels since it is near Subi or Zamora Reef, a low tide elevation located 16 miles from Pag-asa but was militarized by China.
“The Atin Ito, they started sailing early this morning. The last report from the group was that they were being tailed by two Chinese Coast Guard vessels,” Trinidad said.
T/s Kapitan Felix Oca was on its way to the general vicinity of Pag-asa Island, where they will hold a historic sea concert featuring local and international artists, when they were shadowed by CCG 3306 and CCG 21549.
The shadowing occurred while T/S Kapitan Felix Oca was sailing 54 nautical miles off the coast of El Nido, Palawan. CCG 3306 was spotted three nautical miles away from T/S Kapitan Felix Oca while CCG 21549 was six nautical miles away.
Radio challenges were issued by both sides, according to the Atin Ito Coalition.
Trinidad said that the Navy is prepared to respond to support the civilian mission through the Western Command (WesCom) in case tension escalates. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) also deployed BRP Melchora Aquino, a 97-meter multi-role response vessel, and BRP Malapascua, a 44-meter patrol ship, to escort the civilian vessel.
“Atin ito is a civil society effort. They have done all the coordination with the appropriate government agencies prior to the conduct of the activity. We fully support them, the Philippine Navy, the AFP [Armed Forces of the Philippines], and even other government agencies in the maritime domain are prepared to respond to support anything that they would need while conducting their concert at sea,” he added.
Despite the shadowing, the Navy official said there was no indication that the Chinese ships were exhibiting dangerous maneuvers towards the Atin Ito vessel.
“However, this will not negate the fact that the actions of the instruments of the Chinese Communist Party have a pattern of aggression and coercive maneuvers in the West Philippine Sea,” Trinidad stated.