‘Nothing will happen,’ Navy assures fishers on China's detention policy

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1718090097168fishers on China 06112024.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Fisherman Jojo Ecijan shows some of their catch in their collective fishing expedition in the West Philippine Sea. Jervis Manahan, ABS-CBN News "/><span class="fr-inner"><span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(51, 51, 51);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:pre-wrap;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none">Fisherman Jojo Ecijan shows some of their catch in their collective fishing expedition in the West Philippine Sea. Jervis Manahan, ABS-CBN News </span> </span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — An official of the Philippine Navy on Tuesday said the government will not let China detain Filipinos for &quot;trespassing&quot; in the West Philippine Sea, which is within the Philippines&#x27; exclusive economic zone and continental shelf.</p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called Beijing&#x27;s policy authorizing the China Coast Guard to detain supposed trespassers &quot;completely unacceptable&quot; and the Department of Foreign Affairs said the order is inconsistent with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.</p><p>&quot;Nothing will happen,&quot; Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, told reporters in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/6/5/pag-asa-island-fishers-won-t-be-deterred-by-china-arrest-threat-1241">READ: Pag-asa Island fishers won&#x27;t be deterred by China arrest threat</a></div><p>&quot;The actions right now of the Philippine Navy, [Armed Forces of the Philippines], [Philippine Coast Guard] and [Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources] and all maritime players of the Philippine government are to prevent such situations,&quot; he also said.</p><p>Trinidad noted the government has increased patrols in the West Philippine Sea and has been working with the US and other security partners.  </p><p> &quot;We are not the only one concerned. Even other countries are concerned about that. This is not [just] the problem of the Philippines, but the problem of [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] and the international community,&quot; Trinidad said.</p><p>&quot;Giving statements like that (by Beijing) is irresponsible, much more implementing them,&quot; he said of Beijing&#x27;s order.</p><div><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/5/30/afp-on-stand-by-as-china-s-fishing-ban-arrest-policy-take-effect-1236">RELATED: AFP &#x27;on standby&#x27; as China&#x27;s fishing ban, arrest policy take effect</a></div><div><strong>MORE CHINESE SHIPS SPOTTED IN WEST PHILIPPINE SEA</strong></div><p>In the same briefing, Trinidad said the number of Chinese ships in the West Philippine Sea doubled in the past week but that the rainy season could mean fewer ships in those waters in coming months.</p><p>Data released to reporters showed that there were 22 People&#x27;s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy vessels monitored from June 4 to 10, compared to the only 11 spotted from May 28 to June 3.</p><p>Of the 22 warships, eight were seen in the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal.</p><p>&quot;The increase in the number of PLA Navy ships can be attributed to the just concluded exercise conducted by the PLA Navy last June 2-4 in the vicinity of Sabina Shoal,&quot; Trinidad said.</p><p>Ayungin Shoal is located some 35 nautical miles from Escoda or Sabina Shoal, where the PLA Navy recently conducted military drills.</p><p>In total, 146 Chinese vessels were sighted in Philippine-occupied and -monitored features in the West Philippine Sea in the past week.</p><p>But, Trinidad said, &quot;the weather affects all players and claimant countries, to include China, Vietnam and everybody,&quot; referring to rougher seas during the rainy season.</p><p>The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced the start of the Philippines&#x27; rainy season in late May.</p><p>The weather bureau also warned that there is a high chance of La Niña developing in the period from July to September.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TMuJK6vlHY4?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>"The actions right now of the Philippine Navy, AFP, PCG and BFAR and all maritime players of the Philippine government are to prevent such situations," Commodore Trinidad said.</p>

"The actions right now of the Philippine Navy, AFP, PCG and BFAR and all maritime players of the Philippine government are to prevent such situations," Commodore Trinidad said.

‘Nothing will happen,’ Navy assures fishers on China's detention policy | ABS-CBN

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‘Nothing will happen,’ Navy assures fishers on China's detention policy

‘Nothing will happen,’ Navy assures fishers on China's detention policy

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jun 11, 2024 03:15 PM PHT

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West Philippine Sea

South China Sea

Philippine Navy

China Coast Guard

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