20 Chinese maritime militia, 4 coast guard ships spotted near Ayungin Shoal - AFP

MANILA, September 3 ------ The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said it has monitored the steady presence of at least 20 Chinese vessels in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal or Second Thomas Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said 20 Chinese maritime militia vessels and four China Coast Guard ships have been in the area for the past four days, based on maritime domain awareness (MDA) monitoring. “For the past three to four days, we have noted a steady number of the maritime militia, 20 ships in the vicinity of BRP Sierra Madre. Last week, there was a dip to four maritime militia and only two [China] Coast Guard vessels on account of the weather disturbances,” Trinidad told reporters in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.

The official explained that while China maintains its presence near Ayungin Shoal, its larger ships cannot approach the BRP Sierra Madre, which serves as the Philippines’ naval outpost in the area. “The bigger ships—the coast guard vessels and the maritime militia vessels—could not go into the shoal itself. They could not come closer to BRP Sierra Madre. They would maintain approximately four to six miles while the smaller ones would usually come closer,” Trinidad noted.

On August 20, the AFP reported that Chinese maritime forces have stepped up their presence and activities inside and around Ayungin Shoal. The military monitored 25 vessels and small boats of the CCG and Chinese maritime militia, and two air assets of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy.

Two Philippine rubber boats even blocked the attempt of a CCG rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) to go near the BRP Sierra Madre. A Chinese maritime militia vessel also deployed fishing nets in the southeast approach of the shoal. “The laying of nets happened only on the 20th and 21st of August. Afterward, there was no such report of the laying of nets nor further reports on the approaches of the speed boats or the RHIBs close to BRP Sierra Madre,” Trinidad said. “The morale of our men is always high. They are aware of the support that the AFP, the DND [Department of National Defense], and the national government is extending to them,” he added.

Source: news.abs-cbn.com