Cheyenne Suarez

The presence of the China Coast Guard (CCG) persists despite the effort of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to block them and assist the four main vessels of the second civilian resupply mission of the Atin Ito Coalition to the Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea May 16, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

AFP maintains it ‘has never left’ vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc

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/175558862050020240515-atin-ito-wps-MT-39.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="The presence of the China Coast Guard (CCG) persists despite the effort of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to block them and assist the four main vessels of the second civilian resupply mission of the Atin Ito Coalition to the Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea May 16, 2024. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">The presence of the China Coast Guard (CCG) persists despite the effort of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to block them and assist the four main vessels of the second civilian resupply mission of the Atin Ito Coalition to the Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal in the West Philippine Sea May 16, 2024.<em> Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — A Philippine Navy official on Tuesday maintained that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has never left the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal.</p><p>This, after the National Maritime Council (NMC) on Monday said that <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/18/-we-will-not-send-warships-ph-keen-on-civilian-led-approach-in-bajo-de-masinloc-1838">Navy warships will not be deployed to the area</a>, explaining that doing so could increase the risk of “miscalculation or misjudgment” if they encounter People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy warships.</p><p>“The AFP, through the Philippine Navy and Philippine Air Force, regularly conducts maritime patrols and air surveillance flights in Bajo de Masinloc, the northern islands, Benham Rise. There is no conflict in both statements. We have our respective mandates to perform,” Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said in a briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City. </p><p>“The AFP has never left the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc, the northern islands, Benham Rise, and even Kalayaan Island Group,” he added. “I want to assure the Filipino people—rest assured; the AFP is there. Maaaring hindi niyo nakikita but the posture of the AFP, we have increased our operational tempo when it comes to our outlying islands and detachments in the West Philippine Sea, the northern islands and Benham Rise.”</p><p>Trinidad emphasized that the Kadiwa ng Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda program is a law enforcement operation led by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). </p><p>It is an initiative that aims to enhance the livelihoods of Filipino fisherfolk while increasing the country’s fish supply.</p><p>But the Navy official stressed that the AFP is prepared to respond to any eventuality.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/18/35-diplomatic-protests-filed-vs-china-so-far-this-year-dfa-1721">35 diplomatic protests filed vs China so far this year – DFA</a></div><p>“The positioning of the armed forces is based on contingency plans. The guidance is that for the conduct of our Kadiwa ng Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda, that is a BFAR and a Coast Guard function. We support them not directly by giving out the aid to our fisherfolk. Our patrol plans are based on the details of the unified commanders, Western Command and Northern Luzon Command,” Trinidad explained.</p><p>He continued, “There have been instances in the past that the Philippine Navy, the Air Force, the AFP responded to incidents to be able to save life at sea. And that is a universal stand of any professional organization in the maritime domain—to be able to extend help regardless of nationality to any person requiring assistance in the maritime domain.”</p><p>Last week, a China Coast Guard (CCG) ship and a PLA Navy warship <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/11/2-chinese-ships-collide-after-chasing-philippine-vessel-in-bajo-de-masinloc-pcg-1102">collided </a>while pursuing the PCG’s BRP Suluan near Bajo de Masinloc.</p><div><a class="fr-strong fr-green" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/8/15/ph-not-responsible-for-chinese-ship-collision-in-bajo-de-masinloc-dfa-1130">PH not responsible for Chinese ship collision in Bajo de Masinloc: DFA</a></div><p>The incident occurred as the PCG escorted boats distributing aid to fishermen in the area.</p><p>The CCG ship sustained heavy damage, rendering it unseaworthy, while the Chinese government has yet to announce any casualties in the incident.</p><p>The AFP stressed that the collision between the two Chinese vessels will not affect its defense posture in the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc.</p><p>“The posture of the armed forces has been already aired out. We are there to provide security to protect and to secure our maritime entitlements. A single action, a specific action, will not change our posture. The guidance has been very clear—the strategy of the armed forces, the guidance of the Secretary of National Defense is very clear. So, one single incident will not change our posture in our overall maritime environment,” Trinidad said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/18/-we-will-not-send-warships-ph-keen-on-civilian-led-approach-in-bajo-de-masinloc-1838">‘We will not send warships’: PH keen on civilian-led approach in Bajo de Masinloc<br/></a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>CHANGE IN CHINESE ACTIONS</strong></div><p>Trinidad noted anew a change in the aggressive and coercive actions of Chinese ships every time the Philippines conducts joint sails or maritime cooperative activities (MCAs) with its allies and partners in the West Philippine Sea.</p><p>“We have noticed a change in their actions each time there is a multilateral cooperative activity in the West Philippine Sea, in Bajo de Masinloc, even the northern islands. There&#x27;s a slight change in their actions, not a change in their behavior. The presence of foreign warships and aircraft, foreign forces, forces a change or results to a slight change in their actions. We notice that there are no coercive and aggressive actions each time there are foreign warships in our maritime domain,” the official explained.</p><p>“The aggressive actions are usually conducted in the absence of foreign warships,” he added.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/16/-not-provoking-anybody-pcg-refutes-chinas-allegations-after-collision-of-ships-1306">PCG tells China: &#x27;It&#x27;s not us who is provoking anybody&#x27;</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zpNubAGmAWo?si=-395R7i13JoBB93j" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>A Philippine Navy official on Tuesday maintained that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has never left the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal.</p>

A Philippine Navy official on Tuesday maintained that the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) has never left the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal.