There is no order from President Marcos yet to remove the floating barriers installed by Chinese maritime militia in Bajo de Masinloc.
"Wala pa po tayong nadidinig na may ganitong klaseng plano (We have not heard of such plans yet)," Palace Press Officer and Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said when asked whether the President has already made a directive to remove the floating barriers.
"Hintayin na lamang po natin kung ano ang maaaring maging report at ano ang maaaring maging aksyon po ng nasabing mga ahensiya (Let us just wait for the report and what possible action the agency would undertake)," Castro added, referring to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
The Palace official also said that whatever action the PCG would take shall not be exposed to the public.
"Actually po, nakausap po mismo natin si Commodore Tarriela, at ang anumang operasyon na gagawin nila ay hindi po natin maaaring i-expose. Pero tiwala po ako sa ating coast guard, sa DND, sa kanilang magiging desisyon patungkol po dito (We have actually talked with Commodore Jay Tarriela, and whatever operation they carry out shall not be exposed. But we trust the Coast Guard and the Department of Defense on their decision over this)," Castro said.
Tarriela disclosed on Monday that the Chinese militia has indeed installed floating barriers anew inside Bajo de Masinloc.
“But what is worth noting is the Chinese maritime militia vessels that are inside Bajo de Masinloc installed once again a floating barrier. As what we have mentioned for so many times already, this is one of their precautionary measures to make sure na hindi makakapasok ang Filipino fishing boats sa loob ng Bajo de Masinloc (that Filipino fishing boats will not be able to enter inside Bajo de Masinloc),” the PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea noted.
It can be recalled that Marcos ordered the removal of floating barriers installed by the China Coast Guard in the southeast entrance of Scarborough Shoal also known as Bajo de Masinloc in 2023.
The Philippine government then noted that the installation of floating barriers at Scarborough Shoal is an infringement of Philippine sovereignty.