AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla (File photo)
MANILA – The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said Friday it would continue its regular patrol activities in the West Philippine Sea despite China's announcement of a unilateral fishing ban that intrudes on Manila's maritime zones.
"For the part of the AFP, we are continuing, of course with our regular activities in the area, continuously po tayo nagpapatrol sa ating dagat ang ating Philippine Navy (PN) po, lagi po silang nag-iikot, (we will continuously patrol our waters, our PN, they are always there), conducting patrols, as well as our Philippine Air Force, so we also have maritime patrols," AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in a Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon briefing, when asked on the military's response to Beijing's moves.
These actions are in coordination with the Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, she added.
China's unilateral fishing ban in WPS set from May 1 to Sept. 16 includes the Bajo de Masinloc (also known as Scarborough Shoal), a traditional fishing ground of Filipino fisherfolk and is only 124 nautical miles away from Masinloc town in Zambales.
Padilla said these actions by the AFP are guided by the Constitution and the principles of national sovereignty.
"(It is) underscored that no foreign entity has the authority to impede the Philippines from exercising our sovereign rights in our exclusive economic zone," she added.
Despite these challenges, Padilla said the AFP is committed to defending the country's sovereignty and protecting its interests in the region.
To bolster this, she added that the Philippines is looking to have more cooperation with like-minded nations and utilize the whole of government approach in addressing this particular issue.
"Katuwang yan ng atin determinasyon na alagaan ang ating teritoryo dito po sa atin karagatan, at tiyakin ang kaligtasan ng ating mga mangingisda na Pilipino (this is inline our determination to protect our maritime territory and ensure the safety of Filipino fishermen)," Padilla said.
The AFP official also said they have contingency plans in place should China ramp up its "illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive" activities.
Meanwhile, Speaker Martin Romualdez on Friday said the government of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. would continue to protect Filipino fisherfolk amid China's imposition of a unilateral fishing ban which covers the Philippines' maritime zones in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
As the country celebrated National Fisherfolk Day, Romualdez said the Marcos administration "will do everything it can" to protect Filipino fishermen in pursing their economic and livelihood activities within the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
China's unilateral fishing ban in the WPS set from May 1 to Sept. 16 includes the Bajo de Masinloc (also known as Scarborough Shoal), a traditional fishing ground of Filipino fisherfolk and is only 124 nautical miles away from Masinloc town in Zambales.
“We will use all the powers we have to keep them safe,” he said.
Romualdez said China should stop threatening to detain Filipinos fishing within the Philippines’ EEZ.
“Our countrymen cannot be considered as trespassers. It is the Chinese and other foreigners illegally entering our maritime waters under international law who will be treated as intruders,” he said.
China reportedly empowered its own Coast Guard to detain for up to 60 days without trial foreign trespassers who will cross what it claims are its borders.
Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, meanwhile, claimed that it would be “unnecessary for any individual or entity to worry about it if they do not engage in illegal activities.”
To date, 385,000 Filipino fishers are benefiting from the WPS according to the National Municipal Fisherfolk registration.
The fish production in WPS alone is equivalent to 11.87 percent of the Philippine marine capture fisheries.(PNA)
