The National Security Council (NSC) on Thursday downplayed China’s sudden announcement of live-fire exercises near Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) in the West Philippines Sea (WPS), describing it as a ploy meant to intimidate Filipino vessels and fishermen.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, who leads the NSC, said there was no indication that actual live-fire drills were conducted in the area, which lies within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
“So, I think they’re trying to again make another ploy or what you call trying to make another new normal, in order to intimidate our Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), our coast guard and our fishermen,” Año told reporters.
Speaking on the sidelines of the forum titled “Navigating Asymmetric Threats: Cross-Regional Strategies for Europe and the Indo-Pacific” organized by the Stratbase Institute, in partnership with the European Council on Foreign Relations, Año said the Philippines would not yield to such threats.
The NSA emphasized that the Philippines would not be provoked into escalating heightened tensions in the WPS, and will continue to assert its rights in the area under international law.
“We continue to follow our policy. We don’t want to escalate, but we will assert and we will defend our territory and our sovereign rights through peaceful means, through the rules that are accepted by the international community and following the international rule of law,” Año said.
According to reports, the crews of BFAR vessel BRP Datu Gumbay Piang only heard radio broadcasts about supposed exercises, but reported no explosions or gunfire.
A Chinese warship announced live fire exercises in waters some 90 nautical miles from the Zambales coastline Tuesday morning, forcing the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels and dozens of Filipino fishing boats caught inside the designated danger zone to leave the area.
PCG Spokesperson for WPS Jay Tarriela said the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessel with bow number 525 made the broadcast around 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 16.
The coordinates it declared covered the positions of the PCG vessels BRP Cabra and BRP Gabriela Silang at the time, as well as “a lot” of Filipino fishing boats near Scarborough Shoal.
After the Chinese side’s short notice, Tarriela said the PCG immediately advised the fishermen to clear out of the marked area and that its vessels moved away and closer to Scarborough Shoal.
But “there was no live fire that was conducted,” Tarriela told reporters on Wednesday, September 17.
“We would like to think that the radio broadcast of conducting a live fire exercise was just used by the PLA Navy to threaten the large number of Filipino fishing boats who were fishing in that area,” the PCG spokesperson said in mixed English and Filipino.
The broadcast alarmed the fishermen in the vicinity, Tarriela said. “It was a very serious threat to the point that the Filipino fishermen were afraid,” he added.
