The
government is “testing the waters” by sending Philippine Coast Guard vessels to
Panatag Shoal, according to Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade.
The
deployment of maritime patrols comes just days after Filipino fishermen have
been able to fish at the disputed shoal, located off the coast of Zambales
province, without being harassed by the China Coast Guard.
Asked about
the purpose of the deployment, Tugade said it was for “roving inspection,
testing the waters.”
He said he
did not think the deployment would lead to a clash between Filipino and Chinese
coast guards.
“That is
farthest from our mind right now,” Tugade said in an interview in Malacañang on
Thursday.
Cmdr. Armand
Balilo, spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, said two vessels were sent
to Panatag on Thursday and three others had been placed on standby for
deployment to the shoal, internationally known as Scarborough Shoal.
The vessels
that left for Panatag on Thursday were the BRP Tubbataha and BRP Davao del
Norte.
On standby
were three monitoring control and surveillance vessels, Balilo said.
Another
vessel, the BRP Pampanga, would serve as backup, he said.
“Our
mission, our purpose, is to check on the condition and situation of our
fishermen in the area and to sustain what we have started and that is to have
government presence in the area,” Balilo said.
“The bottom
line is, we should not make any provocative actions so as not to affect
whatever diplomatic efforts are being made by the President and the
government,” he said.
“For us,
what is important is for Philippine presence to be felt in the area,” he added.
‘Friendly’ arrangement
Filipino and
Chinese officials reached a “friendly” arrangement for the return of Filipino
fishermen to Panatag during President Duterte’s state visit to China last
month.
China seized
Panatag after a two-month standoff with the Philippines in 2012, compelling
Manila to challenge Beijing’s claim to almost all of the South China Sea in the
UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
The court
handed down a decision on July 12, invalidating China’s excessive claims in the
South China Sea and saying Beijing had violated Manila’s rights to fish and
explore for resources in waters within its 370-kilometer exclusive economic
zone (EEZ) in the strategic waterway.
Panatag is
well within the Philippine EEZ, but China, which did not take part in the
arbitration, rejected the ruling, insisting it has “historic rights” to the
South China Sea.
Instead of
pressing the tribunal’s ruling on China, President Duterte preferred bilateral
talks to settle the dispute. He traveled to China last month for talks with
Chinese President Xi Jinping.
During his
China visit, Mr. Duterte declared his “separation” from the United States.
Pleased, the
Chinese sent him home with pledges of low-interest loans and investment in
Philippine projects, but no signed agreement that they were giving Panatag back
to the Filipinos.
The post PH Deploys 2 Patrol Boats to Panatag appeared first on Philippine Daily Inquirer.
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