Chinese ships move into blockade position in Scarborough Shoal

MANILA, Philippines — A People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy warship, eight China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and 34 Chinese maritime militia (CMM) ships have moved into a blockade position in Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) to intercept the Atin Ito! civilian convoy Wednesday evening.

Based on the monitoring by Sealight, a maritime transparency project that monitors and reports activities in the South China Sea, the 44-meter Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) patrol ship BRP Bacagay is escorting the civilian Atin Ito! convoy as China moved the rest of its blockade into position.

As of 10 p.m., the PCG ship is being closely shadowed by the 102-meter CCG 4203.

Meanwhile, retired United States Air Force Col. Ray Powell, director of SeaLight, said the Philippine Navy patrol ship BRP Ramon Alcarez was nearby monitoring the situation.

Earlier on Wednesday, Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea, said during the Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) flight conducted by the PCG in Bajo De Masinloc, the presence of eight CCG vessels, 10 CMM ships, and a PLA Navy warship was «observed and physically monitored in the area where the civilian convoy was headed.