A maritime expert on Tuesday said the statement of the Chinese Embassy that the 183 militia vessels spotted in Julian Felipe Reef in the West Philippine Sea were only taking shelter due to rough seas was unbelievable.
Interviewed on Super Radyo dzBB, UP Diliman - Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea director Jay Batongbacal said the presence of the Chinese militia vessels in the area may have another purpose.
“Ang labo nga ng sinasabi nilang sumisilong sa rough weather pero alam naman natin na ayan nga at least two weeks na silang nandyan,” he said.
(It is hard to believe what they said that the vessels were just taking shelter due to rough weather. However we know that they have been there for two weeks already.)
“Wala namang bagyo since the beginning of the month na nagdadaan. So hindi na kapani-paniwala 'yung explanation nila,” he added.
(There have been no weather disturbances that crossed the country since the beginning of the month. So their explanation is unbelievable.)
Batongbacal also pointed out the huge number of Chinese militia vessels that were spotted lining up in the Philippine territory. For him, they were not just taking shelter.
He also noted that it would take time to place 183 vessels in a line formation and close to each other.
According to him, the Chinese militia vessels seem new and not loaded with many cargoes.
On Monday, Sobejana said You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. in the area after reports claimed that around You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. were spotted in Julian Felipe Reef on March 7.
Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. to pull out the vessels, saying the deployment breaches maritime rights and sovereignty.
The Philippines has already You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. against China over the presence of militia vessels at Julian Felipe Reef.
The Chinese Embassy however You do not have permission to view the full content of this post. Log in or register now. that the vessels were operated by Chinese Maritime Militia. It said that the vessels are only "seeking shelter" near the reef, which they claimed is part of China's Nansha Islands or Spratlys in the South China Sea.
The Reef, called Niu’e Jiao by China, is a large boomerang shaped shallow coral reef at the northeast of Pagkakaisa Banks and Reefs (Union Reefs), located approximately 175 nautical miles west of Bataraza, Palawan.
It is within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf, over which the country enjoys the exclusive right to exploit or conserve any resources which encompass both living resources, such as fish, and non-living resources such as oil and natural gas.
"Niu’e Jiao is a part of China’s Nansha Qundao. Chinese fishing vessels have been fishing in its adjacent waters for many years," the embassy said. —KG, GMA News
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