CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) drove away an unauthorized foreign fishing vessel from the territorial sea of Kota Island in the West Philippine Sea on Sunday, Oct. 18, in its fourth such operation in three weeks, according to PCG spokesperson Jay Tarriela.
The PCG said its High-Speed Response Boat (HSRB-019), while en route to Kota Island, spotted the vessel about 1.75 nautical miles north-northwest of the island, within the Philippines’ 12-nautical-mile territorial sea.
HSRB-019 immediately reinforced two PCG rubber boats already engaging the vessel. The three boats maintained a close presence and repeatedly ordered the foreign vessel by radio to leave the area.
The vessel eventually withdrew without reported incidents, the PCG said.
READ: Tarriela: Chinese ships off Kota Island a ‘coordinated militia op’
The latest operation followed three earlier incidents involving foreign vessels near Kota Island on Sept. 28, Oct. 9 and Oct. 11.
On Sept. 28 and Oct. 9, the PCG drove away Chinese maritime militia vessel 9622 and its accompanying small boats, while five foreign fishing vessels were driven away on Oct. 11.
On Oct. 15, the PCG also drove away a Chinese fishing vessel and four small boats from the waters of Lawak Island.
Kota Island is part of the Municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan and lies within the Kalayaan Island Group.
The PCG said foreign vessels are prohibited from fishing in the Philippines’ territorial sea without authorization, citing international law, the Philippine Fisheries Code and the Philippine Maritime Zones Act.
Under PCG Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan, the agency said it would sustain its maritime patrols in the Kalayaan Island Group in coordination with the Philippine Marine Corps.
The deployment of HSRB-019 is intended to strengthen the Coast Guard’s ability to respond swiftly to maritime intrusions, it added.
The operation was conducted in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s directive to uphold the Philippines’ rights under the 2016 arbitral award on the South China Sea and protect the country’s maritime territory and Filipino fishermen, the PCG said. /das
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