26-9-2023 (MANILA) The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has commenced the removal of a floating barrier installed by Chinese maritime authorities to block access to the disputed Panatag or Scarborough Shoal. In a recent post, PCG spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela stated that the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea instructed the PCG to carry out the operation. President Marcos instructed task force chairman National Security Adviser Eduardo Año to relay the order to the PCG.
Videos shared by Tarriela showed a PCG diver swimming towards one of the buoys and cutting the rope with a knife, while other Coast Guard personnel lifted what appeared to be an anchor. Tarriela emphasized that the barrier posed a hazard to navigation and violated international law. It also prevented Filipino fishermen from accessing the area, which is claimed by both the Philippines and China.
Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin indicated that the Philippines has the right to remove the floating barrier as it violates the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ). He stated that the barrier interfered with activities granted to the Philippines under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). However, the executive branch must first agree on the approach to dismantling the barrier.
Fishers’ group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) called for the outright removal of the barrier and criticized relying solely on diplomatic protests. The group urged the Marcos administration to take decisive action to eliminate the nuisance floating objects from Philippine territorial waters. Justice Secretary Remulla expressed his intention to meet with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to discuss China’s recent act of harassment in the West Philippine Sea.
PCG spokesman Tarriela emphasized the need for a diplomatic approach to avoid escalating the situation. He referred to the 2012 standoff between the Philippine Navy and the Chinese maritime militia, which resulted in tensions. Tarriela highlighted the success of the BFAR vessel’s mission, despite the presence of the floating barrier, as it marked the closest approach of a Philippine government vessel to Bajo de Masinloc.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Año condemned the installation of the barriers by the China Coast Guard (CCG), stating that appropriate actions would be taken to remove them and protect the rights of Filipino fishermen. He emphasized that the placement of the barriers violated the traditional fishing rights of Filipino fishermen, as affirmed by the 2016 Arbitral Ruling. Año noted that China’s actions constituted a violation of the arbitral court ruling and international law.
The Solicitor General’s office is currently gathering information on Chinese abuses in the West Philippine Sea to prepare for potential legal action. Solicitor General Menardo Guevarra stated that solid evidence is needed to stand up in any tribunal, and the pros and cons of legal options will be carefully evaluated before making recommendations to the President and the DFA.
Pamalakaya’s Bobby Roldan highlighted that the floating barrier was just the latest obstacle imposed by China to restrict Filipino fishermen’s access to the shoal. He emphasized the importance of the lagoon inside the Panatag Shoal as a safe harbor for fishing vessels during turbulent weather. Roldan stressed that China has no legal basis to install anything in the Philippines’ traditional fishing grounds and called on maritime authorities to enforce the rules of engagement. The removal of the buoys is expected to safeguard fishing activities and production in the area.
