‘3 Chinese boats still in Panatag Shoal’

MANILA, Philippines - At least three Chinese vessels are still in the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, more than a year after Beijing had intruded into the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin said.

“Chinese vessels are still there – two CMS (Chinese Maritime Surveillance) ships and one FLEC (Fisheries Law Enforcement Command),” Gazmin said.

He said they are continuously monitoring the situation in the reef.

“We have naval and air assets there,” Gazmin said. The defense chief, nevertheless, believes the continuous presence of Chinese vessels in the shoal would not affect the Philippines’ ownership of the area.

Filipino fishermen who rely on the reef’s marine resources for their livelihood have been scared off by Chinese vessels, prompting some sectors to speculate that the foreign ships now have control of the area.

Despite the apparent bullying by Chinese intruders, Gazmin said the government would continue to seek a peaceful resolution to the issue.

“We do not want to escalate the problem. We have done our part by submitting this to an international court of arbitration,” Gazmin said.

The occupation of Panatag Shoal started on April 10, 2012, when Chinese surveillance vessels barred the Philippine Navy from arresting Chinese fishermen who were caught poaching endangered marine species from the shoal.

The ill-equipped Filipino authorities failed to stop the fishermen from carting off their illegal harvest.

Upon their return to China, the Chinese poachers claimed that they were intimidated by Philippine forces.

The incident led to a standoff between the technologically superior Chinese vessels and Philippine ships that lasted for two months.