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Friday, January 24, 2025
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Friday, January 24, 2025

China vessels violate right of innocent passage in WPS—PCG  

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China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels have continuously failed to obey the criteria for exercising the right of innocent passage in waters under the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Wednesday.

PCG Spokesperson for West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela, in his daily update Beijing’s deployment of assets said the movements of CCG is neither monotonous nor expeditious, which warrants vigilant monitoring on the part of the PCG.

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“Throughout the day, the movements of the China Coast Guard vessel have not been continuous or expeditious, failing to meet the necessary criteria for exercising the right of innocent passage,” Tarriela said.

PCG offshore patrol vessel, BRP Gabriela Silang, is actively overseeing the illegal deployment of CCG vessel 5901 dubbed as “The Monster” due to its size off the coast of Zambales province, the nearest from Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag Shoal).

BRP Gabriela Silang has effectively maintained a protective position through skillful seamanship, successfully keeping ‘The Monster’ at an average distance of 60-70 nautical miles from the Philippine coastline, according to the PCG official.

Tarriela also reported that CCG 5901 tried to invoke the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) against Gabriela Silang, but ironically disregards the more critical issue of its illegal presence in the Philippine EEZ.

“The PCG’s close maneuvering against the China Coast Guard vessel is vital to prevent it from approaching forward the Zambales coast,” Tarriela said, reiterating the Philippines’ commitment to assert and protect its authority over its maritime zones.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Navy through spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad believes China’s incursions in the regional waters were in response to the Philippines’ recent enactment of additional maritime laws.

“You have to look at the presence of the monster ship as a reaction to our legislated archipelagic sea-lane and maritime zones act,” Trinidad said, referring to the Philippine Maritime Zones and Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Laws that President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed last November.

“We legislated. They countered. And now they are enforcing. That’s how simple it is,” Trinidad said.

The CCG vessels have been deployed near the coastline of Zambales for almost two weeks now.

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