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Headline
PCG cuts Ch Sea barrier
By J.Lo
"They hinder livelihood of Filipino fisherfolk in the shoal, violate international law and infringe on Philippines' sovereignty over Bajo de Masinloc, hence need to remove them is aligned with international law and Philippine sovereignty over shoal," Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela said PCG has started removing floating barrier Chinese maritime authorities installed to block access to disputed Panatag or Scarborough Shoal.
In post on X last night, ore Jay Tarriela said National Task Force on West Philippine Sea (NTFWPS) ordered PCG "to execute special operation to remove floating barrier obstructed southeast entrance of Bajo de Masinloc."
Tarriela said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. directed task force chairman National Security Adviser Eduardo Año to relay order to PCG.
Videos shared by Tarriela showed PCG diver swimming toward one of buoys and cutting rope with knife. Other Coast Guard personnel lifted what appeared to be anchor.
Tarriela maintained barrier posed hazard to navigation, he described as " clear violation of international law."
Buoys also prevented Filipinos from catching fish in the area claimed by both Philippines and China, he stressed.
Earlier Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla said Philippines may remove floating barrier installed by China Coast Guard (CCG) in Bajo de Masinloc in exercise of its rights over its exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
"It's violation of our rights to our EEZ…we can remove this, interfering on something that has been granted to us in accordance with United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea ,UNCLOS... interference in our activities" Remulla said at press briefing, referring to floating barrier laid down by Chinese to keep Filipino fishermen from shoal lagoon also called Scarborough.
He said executive branch must first agree on how to proceed with dismantling of floating barrier.
For militant fishers group, FMJ should order outright removal of floating barrier and not just file another protest.
"Marcos administration must go beyond lodging diplomatic protests and take necessary steps to have these nuisance floating objects immediately removed from our territorial waters," Bobby Roldan, vice chairman for Luzon of Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), said.
At DOJ briefing, Remulla intends to meet with Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) within week to discuss China's latest act of harassment in West Philippine Sea.
He also stressed removal of floating barrier would be carried out by PCG, civilian entity.
PCG has submitted report on the matter to NTFWPS headed by FMJ and is just awaiting orders from Chief Executive on its next course of action, said PCG and Tarriela. Comprising task force are DOJ, DFA and Department of National Defense.
Asked if PCG can just remove barrier, Tarriela said government should be diplomatic in dealing with the issue, lest it might set off another crisis.
He was referring to 2012 standoff between Philippine Navy and the Chinese maritime militia triggered by latter's blocking arrest of poachers in Panatag Shoal.
Chinese would later establish permanent presence in the area, prompting Aquino administration to file case in 2013 before Permanent Court of Arbitration based in The Hague. International court decided in favor of Philippines in 2016 and invalidated China's massive claim in South China Sea.
"That is why we have to approach this with so much carefulness," he said.
Chinese coast guard vessel and service boat of Chinese maritime militia installed barrier just as BRP Datu Bankaw of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) was arriving to deliver grocery items and fuel subsidies to Filipino fishermen on 50 fishing boats.
CCG vessels initiated 15 radio challenges in an attempt to expel BFAR vessel and fishermen from the area, but later withdrew on seeing media personnel documenting the incident.
Tarriela said PCG and BFAR "complied with our mission to deliver grocery items and fuel subsidy," as well as record procedure.
He added Chinese would only install barrier every time they sense arrival of more Filipino fishermen in the area.
Despite presence of floating barrier, Tarriela maintained that Datu Bankaw's mission was success.
"For first time BFAR vessel, Philippine government vessel, came as close to distance of only 300 meters of Bajo, victory we still have to consider."
" he said. National Security Adviser Eduardo Año also said floating barrier must definitely go.
"We will take all appropriate actions to cause removal of barriers and to protect rights of our fishermen in the area, we condemn installation of floating barriers by CCG in Bajo de Masinloc … placement by People's Republic of China of barrier violates traditional fishing rights of our fishermen whose rights have been affirmed by 2016 Arbitral Ruling, " Año said.
He also noted that China's action was violation of the 2016 arbitral court ruling.
"Any State that prevents them from doing artisanal fishing there violates UNCLOS and international law, in general," he emphasized.
National Security Council assistant director general Jonathan Malaya also said based on UNCLOS and 2016 Arbitral Award, Philippines has the right to remove Chinese floating barriers in West Philippine Sea.
Malaya stressed Bajo de Masinloc is within 200-nautical mile EEZ of Philippines and that Filipinos have been fishing in the area for centuries.
He said helping Filipino fishermen is priority of government, whether in West Philippine Sea or in any other part of the country.
Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra meanwhile said his office is gathering information on all incidents of Chinese abuses in West Philippine Sea.
"We need solid evidence that will stand up in any tribunal…we will carefully evaluate pros and cons of each legal option before we make any recommendation to the President and to DFA," Guevarra said in text message.
Guevarra earlier said OSG is in "fact-finding and data gathering stage" in preparation for possible filing of new complaint against China before international tribunal.
Meanwhile, Roldan said the 300-meter floating barrier was just latest obstacle set by Chinese to keep Filipino fishermen from venturing into shoal.
"Even before these buoys, we are unable to return to lagoon inside Panatag Shoal due to permanent presence of at least two Chinese Coast Guard vessels in its passage, said lagoon is crucial for Filipinos, especially in times of turbulent weather and rough seas, because it serves as safe harbor for our fishing vessels," Roldan said.
Roldan also said China has no legal basis to put up or install anything in the country's traditional fishing grounds.
"This recent dastardly act by Chinese government will further impede our fishing activities and consequently affect our fishing production," he stressed.
PCG or the Philippine Navy, he pointed out, could just eject buoys right away, as their being put there is against international law.
"We are expecting more from our maritime authorities, such as enforcing basic rules of engagement in situation like this," he said.
Tarriela, said in interview with media Coast Guard needs to secure clearance from foreign affairs and justice departments, and seek guidance from Año.
NSA chairs National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea, whose members include DFA, DOJ and PCG.
Country needs to be careful to avoid "diplomatic misstep," Coast Guard official said.
"If we already have guidance from NTF-WPS and the president, who serves as our commander-in-chief, PCG and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, with support of Armed Forces of the Philippines, will do whatever it takes to carry out directives of national government as ordered by our president," Tarriela said.
Filipino fishers have suffered 70% reduction in income per fishing trip since China increased its presence at Bajo de Masinloc during Duterte administration.
"China's cruelty knows no bounds… shamelessly aggressive in blocking our fishermen from our own seas," Sen. Risa Hontiveros said following installation of 300-meter floating barrier in southern portion of Bajo de Masinloc, fishing ground off Zambales that has been utilized by generations of Filipinos.
Minority senator also called on Marcos administration to review national policy toward China.
"We should no longer accept acts like this going unpunished…if we allow China's bullying to continue, it will cost lives of our own people," Hontiveros said.
Senate Majority Leader Joel Villanueva said installation of floating devices at Bajo de Masinloc significantly impacts livelihood of fishermen who depend on seas.
Sen. Francis Tolentino expressed support for proposal to remove floating barrier.
"China should not make our fishermen suffer when fishing in our own seas… China's installation of floating barrier violates international law, and should be promptly removed," he said.
A special Senate panel started its hearings last week on bills seeking to delineate country's internal waters, territorial sea, contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.
Bajo de Masinloc is just 240 kilometers west of Luzon, and nearly 900 kilometers from nearest major Chinese landmass of Hainan.
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