MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines ramped up its surveillance efforts in the West Philippine Sea following the continued presence of the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) so-called “Monster” ship within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya confirmed the deployment of two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels to monitor the movements of the CCG ship. Additionally, aerial assets from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and PCG have been mobilized to maintain vigilance over the area.
“Our maritime domain awareness is now laser-focused on addressing the illegal presence of the Chinese Coast Guard vessel,” Malaya said during a press briefing on Tuesday.
Malaya emphasized that the National Maritime Council demanded the withdrawal of the CCG vessel from Philippine waters, labeling its presence as a clear violation of international law.
“In terms of their objective—to intimidate our fishermen and our nation—it is evident that these intimidation tactics are failing,” he said.
Malaya also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting Filipino fishermen and standing firm against the unlawful presence of Chinese vessels in Philippine waters.
“We are not tolerating their presence. We are challenging them every single day,” Malaya said.
The PCG reported on Monday that the CCG 5901 had come alarmingly close to Philippine shores, approximately 67 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales—well within the country’s EEZ.
The incident coincided with the temporary return of the BRP Teresa Magbanua, a key PCG patrol vessel, to Bataan for minor repairs.
As of Tuesday, the PCG marked its eleventh consecutive day of monitoring and pursuing the CCG vessel.
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