This handout photo released on Feb. 11, 2024 shows Philippine Coast Guard personnel distributing food packs to fishers in Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea. Philippine Coast Guard handout photo

MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is working with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to maintain "continuous" Philippine presence in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said PCG and BFAR vessels will be on a “rotational deployment” in the area.

“Once ang PCG ay pansamantalang babalik sa puerto for logistical requirements, ito naman ang pagkakataon na ang BFAR ang magde-deploy ng kanilang barko,” Tarriela during the Bagong Pilipinas briefing.

The PCG previously said it does not have enough assets to maintain a constant presence in the West Philippine Sea.

BFAR has 6 multi-mission offshore vessels and several smaller patrol boats operated by coast guard personnel.

The PCG reported on Sunday it had monitored the presence of 8 Chinese vessels that shadowed Philippine vessels during its patrol in Bajo de Masinloc earlier this month.

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Throughout its 9-day patrol, the PCG’s BRP Teresa Magbanua detected the presence of 4 China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and 4 Chinese maritime militia vessels.

Tarriela said the CCG vessels crossed the bow of the BRP Teresa Magbanua twice, “recklessly disregarding the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea” anew.

The CCG vessels also shadowed the PCG vessel “on more than 40 occasions,” coming as close as 176 meters, he added.

“As to the escalatory and provocative behavior of the CCG, you have the commitment of the PCG that we will focus on our mission objective. We will not be the reason to provoke them, even if they are provoking and bullying the PCG,” Tarriela noted.

The BRP Teresa Magbanua, a 97-meter patrol vessel, was deployed on February 1 to ensure the safety of Filipino fishermen in the area, as ordered by CG Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan.

'EXPELLED' VESSEL?

Meanwhile, the CCG announced on Sunday evening that it had “expelled” a PCG vessel that had “repeatedly intruded into the waters near Huangyan Island.”

'Almost all' 2023 resupply missions to Ayungin 'had Chinese presence': Navy

It added that China has “indisputable sovereignty” over the island and its adjacent waters.

“The China Coast Guard consistently carries out the right protection and law enforcement activities within Chinese jurisdictional waters to safeguard national sovereignty and maritime rights and interests,” it said.

But Tarriela denied CCG's claim, saying the photos and videos taken by the PCG would prove that its vessel, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, was able to successfully complete its patrols in the vicinity of the Bajo de Masinloc from February 1 until 9, contrary to the claims of the Chinese.

“Our vessels stayed there until February 9. We have videos and photos to support this. Obviously, it’s not us making this narrative. In reality, tayo talaga ang nagsasabi ng totoo,” the PCG official said.

During the 9-day mission, the PCG were also able to give assistance to over 100 Filipino fishermen in the area by providing them grocery gift packs.

“We still consider this a successful mission. Naipadama pa rin natin sa mga mangingisda ang effort ng national government that we are going to maintain our presence here at poprotektahan ang kanilang karapatan para mangisda sa Bajo de Masinloc,” Tarriela said.

“Our interest and objective is to provide support to Filipino fishermen in which we successfully gave away grocery packs for them to prolong their fishing expedition in BDM,” he added.