‘Chinese ships harass Phl vessel near Pag-asa’

Chinese ships harassed a “Philippine patrol vessel” near Pag-asa island off Palawan, Rep. Gary Alejano of Magdalo party-list said yesterday.

Quoting sources he did not identify, the former Marine captain said the incident took place two weeks ago.

Asked whether the Philippine craft belongs to the Navy or the Coast Guard, Alejano said, “It’s a civilian vessel.”

When the vessel tried to approach one of three sandbars near Pag-asa, Alejano said a Chinese maritime militia craft “less than two nautical miles south sounded its siren continuously to warn the Philippine ship from proceeding.”

“A People’s Liberation Army Navy and another Chinese maritime militia were positioned just over one nautical mile north,” Alejano said.

“After some time, the Philippine vessel proceeded to another sandbar. It was there that four Chinese maritime militia ships closed in up to half a mile while sounding their sirens simultaneously,” he added.

Alejano stressed that what took place “was a deliberate but aggressive action undertaken by Chinese maritime militia to ward off or limit any Philippine vessel from coming near to the sandbars.”

He pointed out that the sandbars are part of the Pag-asa island network.

Contrary to a Chinese statement that China’s ships were just patrolling or passing near the sandbars, he said his informants have observed that such vessels “have been permanently stationed there.”

“This is an indication that China intends to claim these sandbars as part of the territorial waters of Subi Reef, which they have reclaimed,” he said.

He noted that two of the sandbars are less than 12 nautical miles from Subi.

Alejano said based on the ruling of the United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration, which favors the Philippines, Zamora (Subi) Reef is a “low-tide elevation not entitled to 12-mile territorial waters nor a 200-mile exclusive economic zone.”

“Pag-asa island is a high-tide elevation and in fact the second largest island in the Spratlys group of islands. It is entitled to territorial waters and a 200-mile exclusive economic zone. Therefore, the Philippines has all the rights to patrol the territorial waters of Pag-asa island, which includes the three sandbars located just two to five nautical miles away from it,” he said.