It was reported on 31 May that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) would continue its regular patrol activities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) despite China’s announcement of a unilateral fishing ban that intrudes on Manila’s maritime zones.
China’s unilateral fishing ban in WPS in force from 1 May 1 to 16 September includes the Bajo de Masinloc (also known as Scarborough Shoal), a traditional fishing ground of Filipino fisherfolk and is only 124 nautical miles away from Masinloc town in Zambales.
In a AFP briefing, Colonel Francel Padilla said these actions by the AFP are guided by the Constitution and the principles of national sovereignty. “(It is) underscored that no foreign entity has the authority to impede the Philippines from exercising our sovereign rights in our exclusive economic zone,” she added.
Despite these challenges, Colonel Padilla said the AFP is committed to defending the country’s sovereignty and protecting its interests in the region. To bolster this, she added that the Philippines is looking to have more cooperation with like-minded nations and utilize the whole of government approach in addressing this particular issue. Colonel Padilla also said there are contingency plans in place should China ramp up its “illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive” activities.
Meanwhile, Speaker Martin Romualdez on Friday said the Government of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. would continue to protect Filipino fisherfolk amid China’s imposition of a unilateral fishing ban which covers the Philippines’ maritime zones in the WPS.
As the country celebrated National Fisherfolk Day, Speaker Romualdez said the Marcos Administration “will do everything it can” to protect Filipino fishermen in pursing their economic and livelihood activities within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Speaker Romualdez said China should stop threatening to detain Filipinos fishing within the Philippines’ EEZ.
“Our countrymen cannot be considered as trespassers. It is the Chinese and other foreigners illegally entering our maritime waters under international law who will be treated as intruders,” he said.
China reportedly empowered its Coast Guard to detain for up to 60 days without trial foreign trespassers who will cross what it claims are its borders. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, meanwhile, claimed that it would be “unnecessary for any individual or entity to worry about it if they do not engage in illegal activities.”
To date, 385,000 Filipino fishers are benefiting from the WPS according to the National Municipal Fisherfolk registration. The fish production in WPS alone is equivalent to 11.87% of the Philippine marine capture fisheries.
Source: Philippines News Agency
