PCG removes shoal barrier

(UPDATE) THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it has removed the floating barrier installed by the China Coast Guard (CCG) off Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal).

In a report issued late Monday night, the PCG said it «executed a special operation» to remove the floating barrier that obstructed the southeast entrance of Bajo De Masinloc in compliance with the instruction of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The PCG said the directive was issued by National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, who also sits as chairman of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS). It did not specify the exact time the operation was conducted.

«The barrier posed a hazard to navigation, a clear violation of international law,» said Commo. Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman on the West Philippine Sea.

«It also hinders the conduct of fishing and livelihood activities of Filipino fisherfolk in Bajo de Masinloc, which is an integral part of the Philippine national territory,» he added.

Tarriela cited the 2016 Arbitral Award that affirmed Bajo de Masinloc as a traditional fishing ground for Filipino fishermen.

«Thus, any obstruction hindering the livelihoods of Filipino fisherfolk in the shoal violates international law. It also infringes on the Philippines' sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc,» he said.

The floating barrier, which measures 300 meters in length, was discovered by the PCG and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) personnel onboard Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas (BRP) Datu Bankaw when they conducted a routine maritime patrol on September 22 in the vicinity of the atoll.

Based on the accounts of Filipino fishermen who frequented the area, three CCG Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) and a Chinese maritime militia service