Chinese vessel runs aground off Pag-asa Island
A Chinese fishing vessel ran aground just kilometers from Pag-asa Island, part of the Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea where the Philippines maintains its longstanding sovereignty and jurisdiction, on Saturday afternoon amid stormy weather conditions.
The vessel was reported to have run aground during the low tide on Saturday, and was eventually pulled by two other Chinese fishing vessels past 5 p.m. the same day, according to the Kalayaan Island Group local government unit.
'May mga naiwan pa nga doon na parang floating buoy. Hindi rin nila mapuntahan gawa ng malakas daw 'yung alon,' Kalayaan Island Group councilor MP Albayda said in a report by Chino Gaston on GMA's '24 Oras Weekend' on Sunday.
'May humilang dalawa na Chinese fishing militia rin, tapos ang ano nila ay paatras, paatras 'yung hila ng nabahurang barko,' he added.
(There were floating buoys that were left. They couldn't go immediately because the waves were strong. There were two Chinese fishing militia vessels that towed the grounded vessel backwards.)
Photos of the vessel were uploaded on social media by KIG resident Larry Hugo, who expressed doubts whether the vessel accidentally ran aground or if this was intentional.
The incident prompted Filipino authorities to respond, with the Philippine Coast Guard deploying its force to check on the vessel.
'Na-report din po 'yan ng mga local fisherfolk sa authorities, so eventually, may naging actions po ang ating Coast Guard which is pinuntahan po nila, nag-deploy po sila ng force, pwersa nila, para i-check,' Naval Task Force 42 spokesperson Capt. Elaine Rose Collado said in the same report.
(Local fisherfolk reported this to authorities so eventually, the Coast Guard took actions — they deployed their forces to check.)
Meanwhile, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro over the weekend also flew to Balabac, Palawan to inspect the location of a planned airbase and naval station.
'Recognized international sea lane dito so minsan, dumadaan talaga dito ang mga Chinese vessels at eto, 'pag hindi nadama or hindi nagkaroon ng presence dito, napakadali na abusuhin ng foreign influence and other inappropriate illegal activities dito,' he said.
(This is a recognized international sea lane so sometimes, Chinese vessels really pass through here. If there is no presence felt here, it is easy for foreign influence to abuse it or for other inappropriate illegal activities to be done here.)
Balabac, Palawan is one of the locations of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) sites between the Philippines and the United States, which gives the US military access to Philippine bases for joint training, along with humanitarian and disaster relief efforts.
To recall, the Philippines in 2013 challenged China over its claims on the West Philippine Sea, where Manila scored a victory and a landmark ruling by an international tribunal which invalidated Beijing's claims.
China has refused to acknowledge the Permanent Court of Arbitration's 2016 ruling that invalidated its nine-dash line. Its government in 2022 claimed that it will continue to adhere to what it described as a 'friendly consultation' with the Philippines after several Chinese vessels have been found 'swarming' areas in the West Philippine Sea.
The Philippines has already filed over 150 diplomatic protests against China regarding the territorial dispute under the administration of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. —Jon Viktor Cabuenas/RF, GMA Integrated News
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