25 Chinese vessels still in custody of military

MANILA, Philippines - The military leadership in Palawan has yet to receive an official request from Chinese authorities for the return of the 25 fishing boats abandoned by a fleeing Chinese vessel following an accidental collision with a patrolling Navy gunboat in the vicinity of the Reed Bank Basin in the hotly-contested West Philippine Sea early this week.

Beijing has told the Philippines to return the 25 small boats that are now in the custody of the Western Command (Wescom) Naval Forces West (Navforwest) in Hulugan Bay in Princesa City.

“There’s no formal request yet,” Wescom commander Maj. Gen. Juancho Sabban told The STAR yesterday, in response to queries if they have received an official communication from the Chinese embassy for them to return to Chinese small boats.

Navforwest commander Commodore Rustom Peña, whose unit has custody of the Chinese small boats, said that aside from the official request from the Chinese authorities, they are also awaiting guidance from Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Eduardo Oban on the matter.