Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
THE China Coast Guard (CCG) has installed a floating barrier in the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea, which is part of the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Sunday.
The floating barrier, measuring 300 meters in length, was placed in the southeast portion of Bajo de Masinloc.
The barrier was discovered by PCG and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) personnel onboard Barko ng Republika ng Pilipinas (BRP) Datu Bankaw when they conducted a routine patrol on Saturday, September 22.
Based on the accounts of Filipino fishermen who frequented the area, three CCG Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) and Chinese maritime militia service boats installed the floating barrier upon the arrival of the BFAR vessel.
They said that the CCG vessels usually install floating barriers whenever they monitor a large number of Filipino fishermen in the area.
In a joint statement, the PCG and BFAR condemned the CCG’s move, saying it prevents Filipino fishing boats from entering the shoal, thus depriving fishermen of their main source of livelihood.
Bajo de Masinloc is situated about 198 kilometers west of Subic Bay making it part of the Philippines’ EEZ.
The atoll is also being claimed by China and Taiwan. — Franco Jose C. Baroña
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Credit belongs to: www.manilatimes.net
