PCG drives away Chinese maritime militia vessel, 22 ‘sampans’

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said that it successfully drove away a Chinese maritime militia vessel and 22 smaller boats on Friday, Oct. 9, reportedly fishing and dumping waste within the territorial waters of Kota Island (Loaita Island) in the West Philippine Sea.

The PCG said that its personnel stationed at Kota Island spotted Chinese Maritime Militia Vessel (CMMV) 9622 and small boats, also known as “sampans,” approximately 0.55 nautical miles (NM) northwest of Kota Island, with the nearest sampan observed 250 meters from the shoreline.

Their position is well within the 12 NM territorial sea of the islands, it said.

It added that they were observed conducting unauthorized fishing activities and dumping waste at sea.

The CMMV 9622 was the same vessel that was spotted last Sept. 28, with 24 small boats deployed about 300 yards off the island, according to the PCG.

READ: PCG drives away Chinese militia vessel, 24 small boats near Kota Island

At around 3:30 p.m., after the sighting, the PCG deployed a team aboard two rubber boats from its Special Operations Group, Maritime Law Enforcement Group, Coast Guard District Kalayaan Island Group, medical personnel, and Philippine Marines.

During the operation, it said that the Chinese mothership encircled their boats, while ordering them to leave over the radio.

After approximately two hours, some of the Chinese sampans withdrew from the area. One sampan temporarily refused to leave, which resulted in minor contact. It then departed after some time.

No injuries or damage were sustained in the incident, the PCG said.

All Chinese vessels had pushed back approximately 3.5 NM from Kota Island by 5:30 p.m., before eventually departing northwest.

“The presence of a Chinese maritime militia vessel coordinating a fleet of sampans as close as 250 meters from the shoreline is a blatant violation of the territorial sea of Kota Island and an affront to Philippine sovereignty,” the PCG said.

Kota Island, also known as Loaita Island, is one of the features in the Kalayaan Island Group in the Spratly Islands. It is part of the municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan province.

The PCG said that under international law, no foreign vessel may conduct fishing activities within the Philippines’ territorial waters.

“Such conduct is likewise a clear violation of Philippine laws, including the Philippine Fisheries Code and the Philippine Maritime Zones Act,” it said.

Likewise, the presence of a Chinese maritime militia vessel and its fleet of sampans about 250 meters from Kota Island is a “blatant violation of the territorial sea” and “affront to Philippine sovereignty”.

It further dismissed the claims of the Chinese vessel’s command personnel, asserting that the area belongs to China.

“The claim made by the Chinese vessel’s master that the area belongs to China has no basis whatsoever under international law,” the PCG stressed.

The PCG added that it is continuously monitoring the area and is sustaining vigilance against any further foreign intrusion within the Kalayaan Island Group. /cb

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