Joselito Malig

Article (news)

ABS-CBN News

Bianca Dava

MANILA - More than 50 Chinese maritime militia vessels remain stationed in Rozul Reef or Iroquois Reef in the West Philippine Sea on Friday, June 20. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) conducted a maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight over the reef, which lies 128 nautical miles from Palawan—well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).Chinese maritime militia ships have been illegally swarming Rozul Reef since Tuesday, June 17. On Friday, two China Coast Guard ships were also spotted at the reef. “Ngayong araw na ito, for the first time, may CCG na rin na nadeploy sila ngayon. Yesterday, walang CCG. It was only purely Chinese maritime militia,” Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, told reporters aboard the PCG’s Cessna Caravan aircraft. “Ganyan lagi ang Chinese government, every time na ichallenge o idrive away natin ang Chinese maritime militia, you can expect that a few days or even hours after, the CCG will be there, siguro to convince the Chinese maritime milita na huwag umalis,” he further said.<div> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/20/tv-patrol-mga-barko-ng-china-sa-wps-binabantayan-ng-pcg-2053">TV PATROL : Mga barko ng China sa WPS binabantayan ng PCG</a></div>In addition to aircraft, two 44-meter multi-role response vessels of the PCG are also monitoring the activities of Chinese ships in Rozul Reef. The PCG also continues to issue radio challenges to the Chinese coast guard and maritime militia vessels, stressing that their actions violate the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, and the 2016 Arbitral Award. “The irregularities in your track and movement, plus anchoring and swarming do not align with the principles of freedom of navigation. Instead, they infringe upon the sovereign rights of the Philippines,” the aircraft’s pilot said on the radio. “Nakita rin natin na itong Chinese maritime militia, they’re not concentrated na sa loob ng Rozul Reef, they are scattered na, even outside Rozul Reef. We are hoping that this is a sign that they will eventually pull out of Rozul Reef,” Tarriela noted. <div>MARINE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH IN PAG-ASA CAYS</div> As the PCG aircraft approached Pag-asa Island, one of the nine Philippine-occupied features in the Kalayaan Island Group, numerous Chinese ships were seen from the air. The PCG monitored 25 Chinese maritime militia vessels, two China Coast Guard ships and two Chinese research vessels. Tarriela noted that the Chinese research ships even launched their rubber boats to conduct marine scientific research in the Pag-asa Cays, which are within the 12-nautical mile territorial sea of Pag-asa.<div> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/19/tv-patrol-drone-na-hinihinalang-ginagamit-ng-china-naispatan-sa-west-ph-sea-2134">TV PATROL: Drone na hinihinalang ginagamit ng China, naispatan sa West PH Sea</a></div> “Only this morning na dumating ang Chinese research vessels,” Tarriela said. He then continued, “Since we have our coast guard station here in Pag-asa, we are religiously challenging them that what they are doing is, actually, a violation of our sovereignty. Alam naman natin na ang Pag-asa Cays 1, 2, 3 and 4 fall within our own territorial sea dito sa Pag-asa.”<div> ENVIRONMENT DAMAGE ASSESSMENT </div> On Thursday, the PCG, along with with the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, completed the environmental damage assessment at Pag-asa Reef 1, where a Chinese maritime militia vessel with bow number 16838 ran aground last June 7. A reef scanner was used to determine which parts of the reef were hit and how extensive the damage was. “Merong reef scanner na ginamit ang marine scientists ng PCSD. Ito ang nagsascan mula sa surface—it has the capability to get images and footages, and iistitch niya ito para magkaroon ng mas maayos na visualization ng 3D seabed,” Tarriela explained. The official added that marine scientists also discovered a parachute anchor left behind by the Chinese vessel. “Ang Chinese maritime militia, every time na malalim ang dagat, ang ginagamit nila is yung parachute anchor para maprevent sila from being drifted,” Tarriela said.<div> <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/6/5/china-says-no-external-force-must-be-brought-in-west-ph-sea-issue-2224">China says &#x27;no external force&#x27; must be brought in West PH Sea issue </a></div> He went on, “Ang Chinese maritime militia na sumadsad dito sa Pag-asa Reef 1, nakapullout sila and naiwan nila yung parachute anchor dahil sumayad na siya doon sa coral reef. Most likely, noong nadrift siya, hindi na nila marecover dahil nakapatong na siya sa mga bato at sa coral reef na tinamaan niya.” The results of the environmental damage assessment at Pag-asa Reef 1 are expected to be released next week.

Chinese maritime militia ships have been illegally swarming Rozul Reef since Tuesday, June 17.

Chinese maritime militia ships have been illegally swarming Rozul Reef since Tuesday, June 17.

PH Coast Guard challenges Chinese ships ‘illegally swarming’ Rozul Reef

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PH Coast Guard challenges Chinese ships ‘illegally swarming’ Rozul Reef

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 20, 2025 10:22 PM PHT

Read More:

Rozul Reef

Iroquois Reef

West Philippine Sea

Philippine Coast Guard

Chinese maritime militia

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