Navy ready to support PCG patrols in West Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines — The Armed Forces of the Philippines has reassured the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) that the military, primarily through the Philippine Navy, is ready to provide more support in patrol operations being carried out in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

The AFP described yesterday the latest incident in Scarborough or Panatag Shoal where the China Coast Guard (CCG) harassed and drove away Filipino fishermen as “alarming.”

AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Padilla said, “on the side of the Armed Forces, we will support in however operational way” the PCG in addressing the situation.

“We consider this alarming because… incidents are getting closer. But with the command conference that we had, there was a guidance by the President that we also try to see different approaches to how we handle the situation,” she told reporters at a press briefing in Camp Aguinaldo.

According to her, the PCG has already given a statement and has data on the Jan. 12 incident. The Coast Guard is in talks with the concerned fishermen who were allegedly forced to return the seashells they harvested for food.

The CCG personnel aboard a rubber boat allegedly went as far as approaching the Philippine fishing vessels and demanding that the catch be returned to the sea before forcing the fishermen to leave.

Padilla said Navy patrols in the West Philippine Sea are done regularly but noted that the WPS, which China is claiming ownership of almost in its entirety including waters inside the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines, is a vast area to guard.

“We will fortify our missions accordingly,” she announced, adding that the AFP assures the public “that we are regularly doing our operations in our territorial waters.”

Asked what steps would be taken following the latest act of harassment by the CCG, she said the military will look into it and let the Northern Luzon Command take the lead on what actions to pursue.

With weaker internal threats, Padilla said the AFP now has more assets to put into territorial defense as it continues to modernize.

Changes on how things are handled can be expected in the coming months based on President Marcos’ directives that the military be