By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
Reinforcing a firm commitment to upholding territorial sovereignty, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) continues to stand watch over Philippine waters and repels any unwanted vessel that dares to venture in the country’s maritime domain.
In its latest operation on Thursday, PCG personnel stationed on Lawak Island successfully drove away Chinese fishing vessel Yuetaiyu 63168 and its four deployed small boats.
Using a rubber boat, the Coast Guardians documented the unwelcome presence of the vessels engaging in unauthorized fishing activities and issued repeated radio challenges to Yuetaiyu 63168—but were met with silence even after also circling it three times.
This prompted the Philippine contingent to take appropriate action and drive away the four small boats in the area, and they did not vacate the territorial waters of Lawak Island until the Chinese mother vessel raised its anchor and left the premises.
The Coast Guardians eventually returned to Lawak Island without any untoward incident, marking yet another development in a series of illegal fishing activities within the West Philippine Sea since late September.
Lawak Island is an integral part of the Municipality of Kalayaan, Province of Palawan. Under international law, the Philippines exercises full sovereignty over its territorial sea, where no foreign vessel may fish without authorization.
The deployment of small boats from a Chinese mother vessel to conduct fishing activities in these waters is a violation of Philippine laws, including the Philippine Fisheries Code and the Philippine Maritime Zones Act. (with report from Patrick de Jesus | PTV News)
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