Fishermen who joined the second Atin Ito-led civilian mission to Scarborough Shoal on May 16, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

MANILA — The Philippines will increase the deployment of coast guard and navy assets in the West Philippine Sea to shield its civilians and fishermen from Chinese harassment following Beijng’s policy of detaining trespassers in what it considers its territorial water, a security official said Monday. 

• China OKs coast guard power to detain 'trespassers' without trial: report

Jonathan Malaya, assistant director general of the National Security Council, said China’s regulation cannot be applied in the high seas and the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 

He said the Philippines will continue to sail and fish in the disputed waters.

“Kung sakali man po na magkaroon ng ganitong pangha-harass sa ating mga mangingisda, hindi po pahihintulutan ng ating pamahalaan ‘yan. Tayo po ay aaksyon,” Malaya said.

(If our fishermen encounter this kind of harassment from China, we will not allow them. We will act accordingly.) 

Beijing last week released a regulatory document authorizing its coast guard to arrest, detain and expel trespassers without trial starting June 15.

This comes as hundreds of Filipino civilians and fishermen, led by Atin Ito Coalition, sailed to the Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal, internationally known as Scarborough Shoal, which is within the Philippines’ EEZ but China seized in 2012.

• 'Mission accomplished' for civilian mission to West PH Sea

PCG Vice Admiral Robert Patrimonio, Commander of the Marine Environmental Protection Command, on Monday said 6 vessels will be deployed in the 6 coast guard districts with heavy maritime traffic.

 “We have identified this critical districts first, so that we could augment or intensify our fight against human trafficking, drug smuggling, arm smuggling and other maritime infringement inside the territorial jurisdiction of our municipalities in the area," said Patrimonio, without identifying the municipal coastal areas.

IGNORE THE REGULATION

Malaya urged Philippine neighbors and other coastal states not to follow the CCG regulation and register objections.

“We call all on maritime states, particularly our neighbors like Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, and Indonesia to ignore this illegal regulations and sail in these waters to the extent that international law allows,” he said.

 Malaya said the Philippine government has no intention of clarifying the regulation with China.

“The mere fact that we’re going to ask them to clarify is an acquiesce or recognition of such regulation. I don’t think it is in our intention to express or to ask for a clarification because the objective of this regulation is to scare not only Filipino fishermen, but also other fishermen in the South China Sea from doing what Atin Ito has done,” he said.

Apart from China and the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei also have overlapping claims in the sea that is rich in fishing stocks, gas and oil.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, earlier downplayed Beijing’s policy, saying it is “just an empty threat” meant to scare off civilian missions in disputed waters.

• China law allowing 'arrests' in West Philippine Sea 'an empty threat': PCG

“There’s no reason for the Filipino fishermen to be worried about it. This is just an empty threat preventing for another Rafaela David,” he added, surmising that civil society groups can be a big headache for China. David is the co-convenor of Atin Ito.

Beijing has refused to recognize the 2016 international arbitration ruling by a UN-affiliated court in The Hauge.

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