A break in the clouds on Monday, March 22, 2021, shows some of the more than 200 Chinese vessels supposedly seeking shelter, according to the Chinese Embassy, at Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef in the West Philippine Sea. But the Philippine government and the US Embassy separately say these are Chinese maritime militia vessels and that the weather is fine. 鈥擟ONTRIBUTED PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� There have been recent sightings and incursions of Chinese militia vessels in the contested areas in the West Philippine Sea, Department of National Defense (DND) officer-in-charge Jose Faustino Jr. said on Thursday.
In a press briefing, Faustino said this has already been coordinated with the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea on how to address these incursions.
鈥淭here have been there for quite some time. I don鈥檛 have the exact right now but I can provide you with the figure,鈥� he said.
鈥淩ight now, we have sightings of some particularly Chinese militia vessels and some of the Chinese Coast Guards in the contested areas,鈥� Faustino added.
He said that while President 鈥淏ongbong鈥� Marcos Jr. did not have any direct instruction regarding the incursions, he is 鈥渂eing guided by his pronouncements.鈥�
鈥淚t is specific pronouncements about how we deal with China, particularly on matters involving avenues than the conflict that we are discussing here at the West Philippine Sea, so more on economic and some, he even mentioned about the possibility of a military to military exchange with China,鈥� Faustino said.
鈥淥ur sovereignty is inviolable and we have to protect our territorial integrity so that鈥檚 it, from those lines, the President, we will toe the line kung ano yung kanyang mga statement regarding the West Philippine Sea,鈥� he added.
Faustino also said that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) had a recent 鈥渃ommunication鈥� with the Chinese Coast Guard.
鈥淲e also challenge the Chinese kung lumapit sila sa atin, so it鈥檚 like parang nagbabatuhan tayo ng challenges diyan sa areas na 鈥榶an and the good thing about it was, mayroon nang communication from our Coast Guard to the Chinese Coast Guard,鈥� he said.
(We also challenge the Chinese if they approach us, so it鈥檚 like we鈥檙e answering challenges there in those areas and the good thing about it, there was already communication from our Coast Guard to the Chinese Coast Guard.)
鈥溾�楶ag lumapit tayo they challenge us, 鈥榩ag lumapit sila we challenge them also, so you know sa atin, ang sinasabi natin teritoryo namin ito, sa lugar na ito 鈥榶an ang sinasagot namin sa mga challenges ng China,鈥� he added.
(When we approach, they challenge us, when they approach us, we challenge them also, so you know, what we are saying is this is our territory, we answer the challenges of China.)
In June, the Department of Foreign Affairs filed a new diplomatic protest over the return of more than 100 Chinese vessels 鈥渋llegally operating in the waters in and around鈥� Julian Felipe Reef.