For over six years, that China trampled our rights over our sovereign waters– granted us by a United Nations arbitral body– the Philippines is demonstrating its resolve to protect what China has not yet confiscated, and attempt at regaining those that it had stolen from us.
When President Marcos ordered the removal of all 300-meter floating barricades that China set up to prevent our fishermen and our Philippine Coast Guard from entering the Bajo de Masinloc Scarborough Shoal that was one brave courageous and heroic moment for the country to show that it would not meekly accede to the world’s biggest bully.
The bold brave men of PCG reported that they had “executed a special operation” to remove the floaters that obstructed the Southeast entrance to the shoal, on instruction of President Marcos Jr.
No specific time
The Presidential directive was relayed to PCFG by National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano, who sits as chair of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, with no specific time that such operation is to be conducted.
The barrier posed a hazard to navigation, a clear violation of international law, according to PCG spokesman on WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela, to which I might add would deprive our local fishermen access to one of the richest fishing grounds in the world, thereby raping their own livelihood and subsistence.
Tarriela noted that the 2016 Arbitral Award has affirmed that Bajo de Masinloc is the traditional fishing ground of 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.
Tarriela further stressed that the decisive action of the PCG to remove the barrier aligns with international law and the Philippines' sovereignty over the shoal.
Disputed as a fantasy
As expected, China is standing its ground saying the floating barriers to prevent Filipinos from accessing the traditional fishing ground were “necessary, professional,” enthused China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.
He claimed that on September 22, a vessel from of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Philippines, without China’s permission, intruded into the adjacent waters of Huangyan Dao and attempted to enter its lagoon. He added the CCG “did what was necessary to block and drive away the Philippine vessel.” (Such nerve, really).
Beijing continues to ignore and defy the arbitral that ruled in favor of the Philippines relying instead on its historically-imagined nine dash line map, which several historians have disputed as fantasy.
Bajo de Masinloc is just 240 km west of Luzon and nearly 900 kms from the nearest major Chinese landmass of Hainan, reported the Agence France Presse.
The 2016 arbitration ruling recognized the shoal as a fishing ground used for generations by Filipinos.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said it would take appropriate measures to protect the country’s sovereignty and the livelihood of fisherfolk. But some legislators are getting uneasy and impatient over the filing of diplomatic protests and are advocating a more proactive and effective move against China’s continued invasion of Philippine territorial waters.
Floating barrier
Fishermen in the area reported that the Chinese Coast Guard typically installs a floating barrier when they monitor a large number of fishermen in the area.
China, which seized Scarborough Shoal in 2012, deploys coast guard and other vessels supposedly manned by Chinese militia to patrol the fishing ground.
Tension between Manila and Beijing escalated last month when CCG vessels used water cannons against a Philippine resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal (St. Thomas Shoal). The Philippines also accused China of destroying coral reefs within its exclusive economic zone, reported AFP.
China’s invasion and incursion intensified during the administration of President Duterte, who at first befriended that superpower but gradually drifted apart later in his term, which led China to not honor its loan commitments for his mega infrastructure projects.
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