Resupply mission in West Philippine Sea to continue – BFAR

MANILA, Philippines —  The resupply mission of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) will continue despite a report from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) of the China Coast Guard (CCG) seizing and dumping food supplies meant for Filipino soldiers stationed at the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal.

“There is no reason for the government to stop providing support in the West Philippine Sea as it is within our exclusive economic zone (EEZ). No foreign countries can stop us in our legitimate undertakings in the waters of the Philippines,” BFAR spokesman Nasser Briguera said.

“We extend our monitoring in international waters covered by our exclusive economic zone. As far as BFAR is concerned, for this year, we have allotted about more than P3 billion for the regulatory and law enforcement programs of the bureau,” he said.

“In fact this year, we target to add additional BFAR vessels in the West Philippine Sea. The function of BFAR is not only in terms of monitoring, control and surveillance, but also in terms of capaciting our municipal fisherfolk to actually fish in the West Philippine Sea. We are actually giving them bigger boats so that they can operate even in further distance,” he noted.

Meanwhile, Senate President Francis Escudero is hoping the Philippines would not retaliate against China’s offensive to prevent war from breaking out in the region and the Philippines from becoming a battleground.

In an interview with reporters, Escudero admitted that the recent incident between the AFP and CCG would likely escalate the already tense situation in WPS.

“I hope that both sides, our country and China, will remain calm, no matter what kind of offensive they do like a seizure,” Escudero said. “I hope our country does not retaliate as I will repeat that no one wants any kind of war to break out in our region, especially if the battleground is our country and not some other place.

Sen. Francis Tolentino called on the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to be ready with legal actions against China that threaten to detain trespassers in the South China Sea (SCS), which is said to be enforced starting June 15.

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