MANILA, Philippines, January 30 ------ Three patrol ships of the China Coast Guard (CCG), including the so-called monster ship, were spotted sailing around Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, according to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commodore Jay Tarriela.
The 165-meter CCG 5901 was seen at “approximately 99.37 nautical miles from Zambales, CCG-3502 at 131.70 nautical miles, and the 77.7-meter CCG 3103 at 133.97 nautical miles,” Tarriela, PCG’s spokesman on West Philippine Sea (WPS) issues, said in a statement last Tuesday. He added that the agency used the Dark Vessel Detection system to monitor the presence of the said CCG vessels.
Panatag Shoal, also called Bajo de Masinloc, is the traditional fishing ground for Filipinos found within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The standoff between Filipino and Chinese forces in 2012 prompted the filing of a case against China at the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which ruled in favor of the Philippines in its landmark ruling in 2016.
The 2016 Arbitral Award upheld the Philippines’ sovereign rights over the West Philippine Sea covered by its EEZ and invalidated China’s claim over the entire South China Sea. Meanwhile, the PCG’s 97-meter patrol ship BRP Teresa Magbanua sustained its efforts to challenge the presence of the 111-meter CCG 3304, according to Tarriela. He said the CCG vessel was “tracked at an average distance of 82-88 nautical miles from the shoreline” of Zambales.
BRP Teresa Magbanua replaced BRP Cabra that brought to Subic the body of a Filipino fisherman who died during a fishing trip. Several CCG ships, including the so-called monster ship 5901, 3304 and 3103 have been switching places in sailing in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) since Jan. 4.
In another development, the Philippine Marines yesterday announced its acquisition of 19 new amphibious combat boats to boost its readiness and operational capabilities as a vital unit of the Philippine Navy. Called Combat Rubber Raiding Craft (CRRC) with outboard motors, the new water assets will be used by the Force Reconnaissance Group (FRG). Capt. Mary-ann Domacena, director of the Marine Corps Public Affairs Office, said the combat boats were tested on the shores of Ternate, Cavite last Saturday.
The CRRC will be used by the FRG deployed units attached with marine brigades and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Special Operations Command in support of different special operations mission in the area of operations, according to Domacena. “It will enhance its capability through providing reliable platforms that were operationally ready during various small-scale amphibious operations,” she said.
Domacena said the new combat vessels would also ensure the attainment of providing committed number of water assets at its prime condition that could be utilized in the conduct of any military operations. She noted that the PMC, aligned with the AFP Modernization Program, “is steadfastly advancing toward its aspirations to be an amphibious crisis response force at very high readiness, an evolution integral to the Comprehensive Archipelagic Defense Concept, emphasizing the need to develop its capabilities to protect the country’s territory and the need of the amphibious capable forces aligned with AFP’s thrust of external defense operations.”
Source: philstar.com
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