Philippines tells China to leave Panatag now, summons envoy

MANILA, Philippines — Two days after two of its ships were attacked and damaged with water cannons by the Chinese coast guard, the Philippine government yesterday summoned Beijing’s second highest diplomat in Manila to relay its protest and demand that Chinese ships immediately leave Panatag Shoal where the attacks took place.

“The Philippines protested the harassment, ramming, swarming, shadowing and blocking, dangerous maneuvers, use of water cannons, and other aggressive actions of China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia vessels against the vessels of the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources en route to Bajo de Masinloc (Panatag),” the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said, as it summoned Deputy Chief of Mission Zhou Zhiyong over the incident which occurred last April 30. “The Philippines demanded that Chinese vessels leave Bajo de Masinloc and its vicinity immediately.”

The DFA said the Philippine vessels were conducting routine and regular humanitarian mission to Panatag Shoal when Chinese coast guard ships engaged them in dangerous maneuver and blasted them with powerful water cannons.

The diplomatic protest filed yesterday was the 20th lodged by the Philippines this year. Under the Marcos administration, the Philippines has filed a total of 153 protests.

The latest incident of Chinese aggression in Philippine waters sparked international condemnation. Philippine officials said supply missions for fishermen and for troops on the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal would continue despite Chinese harassment.

At a forum yesterday, Philippine Navy spokesman for the WPS Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad voiced support for another civilian supply mission being readied by Atin Ito Coalition, this time to Panatag Shoal.

The trip set for May 15 would be the second in less than a year to the West Philippine Sea by the Atin Ito Coalition, comprising cause oriented and civil society groups devoted to asserting the country’s rights over its territorial waters.

Its first West Philippine Sea mission in December 2023 – in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal – faced harassment from the Chinese coast guard and the People’s Liberation Army Navy.

“This is organized by Atin Ito, a broad coalition of stakeholders who would like to support the Philippine stand in the West Philippine Sea,” Trinidad said at the Kapihan sa Manila Bay forum, referring to the planned May 15 supply mission.

“We support all activities of the Filipino people, of civic society, that would show our resolve for the West Philippine Sea,” he said.

Organizers had announced plans to bring some 100 fishing boats from Zambales to undertake the mission involving the delivery of food and other supplies to Filipino fishermen as well as the planting of markers in the area.

“It should not just be 100. If China could muster 300 or 400 maritime militia, even if their coastline is very far, we should send 1,000 vessels,” he said.

“This is an indicator that Filipinos are beginning to understand the issue,” he said, referring to the planned civilian supply mission. “And so long as they abide by all the guidelines given by the government, we support all activities, civic society – they all started this,” he said.

“Let’s thank Atin Ito, a broad coalition of civic groups. We need to have a convergence of all, a whole-of-nation approach,” Trinidad said.

“Not just the government, not just the corporate or the private sector… Why? Because we only have one Philippines, the only one we can bequeath to the next generation of Filipinos,” he said.

The STAR was among the members of the media who joined the December trip to Ayungin Shoal and witnessed firsthand CCG’s harassment that forced lead ship MV Felix Oca to head back to Puerta Princesa. The smaller boats in the convoy were able to slip past the Chinese boats to successfully deliver Christmas gifts, food and provisions to residents of Lawak Island in the Kalayaan Island Group.

Meanwhile, Philippine and US troops utilized two Black Hawk helicopters on Wednesday in a joint infiltration training exercise in Northern Luzon, as part of the Balikatan exercises.

The event showcased strategic deployment of air assets in Barangay Dagao, Calayan Island.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines said that as part of the drill, troops from the 77th Infantry Battalion were rapidly deployed from the Cagayan North International Airport to Calayan Island.

“These meticulously orchestrated maneuvers exemplify the enhanced capabilities of our military forces, pivotal in maintaining regional stability and safeguarding Philippine territories against external aggression,” the military said. – Michael Punongbayan