Ni Ven Marck Botin
NABAHALA ang Western Command Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP WESCOM) sa apatnapu’t walong (48) Chinese vessels na muling namataan sa Iroquois at Sabina Shoal na banta umano sa seguridad ng Recto Bank sa West Philippine Sea (WPS).
Sa pahayag ng AFP, habang nagsasagawa ng operasyon nitong ika-30 ng Hunyo sa WPS ang kanilang mga tauhang lulan ng NV312 ng sasakyang-panghimpapawid ng Philippine Navy, namataan ng mga ito ang nakakaalarmang presensiya ng mga Chinese fishing vessels sa Recto Bank.
“…forty-eight Chinese fishing vessels have been reported to be swarming Iroquois Reef, located south of the oil and gas-rich Recto Bank,” saad ng ahensya.
“The swarming of Chinese fishing vessels (CFVs) there is quite visible from the air,” pahayag ni Lieutenant Edgard Abogado, pilot-in-command ng NV312, sa panayam ng ahensya.
“…the CFVs were observed to be anchored in groups of five to seven and no fishing activities were noticed. They seem to just loiter in the area,” dagdag ni Lieutenant Karla Andres, co-pilot ng NV312.
Ayon sa Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), mula sa labindalawang (12) Chinese fishing vessels nitong buwan ng Pebrero ngayon taon, tumaas sa apanatpu’t pitong (47) mga Chinese vessels ang namataang pakalat-kalat sa lugar nitong ika-12 ng Hunyo.
Dagdag naman ng AFP, ang pagtaas ng mga presensiya ng mga ito sa Iroquois Reef gayundin ang pagdami nito sa Sabina Shoal ay lubos na nakakabahala sa karapatan ng Pilipinas sa West Philippine Sea.
“Three China Coast Guard (CCG) ships and two People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels are regularly loitering there compared to two wooden resupply boats from the Philippines and two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels,” saad ng ahensya.
“These developments raise an alarming concern about China’s intentions and actions within these disputed waters. Recto Bank, a significant feature for the Philippines holding immense potential for the countryโs energy security and economic growth, stands as a focal point in this rising concern over Chinaโs recent behavior,” pahayag naman ni Commander Ariel Coloma, AFP Western Comand spokesperson
โRecto Bank is a vital feature within the Philippineโs Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), and China must cease its swarming of vessels to respect our sovereign rightsโ, dagdag ng tagapagsalita.
Bilang tugon sa pagtaas ng presensiya ng mga Chinese vessels na nakaangkla sa WPS, iniakyat na ito ng AFP sa nakatataas upang magsagawa ng kaukulang aksiyon.
“…detailed reports will be forwarded to higher authorities as a crucial step that aims to facilitate the potential filing of a diplomatic protest, reinforcing our commitment to safeguarding Philippine sovereignty and territorial rights in the West Philippine Sea,” dagdag ng ahensya.