File photo
MANILA, Philippines — China cannot conduct law enforcement operations on the waters of the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), nor does it have the authority to do so, an official from the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said.
According to National Security Council (NSC) Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya, the NTF-WPS was firm in its stance that China does not have the power to conduct law enforcement operations in the Philippines’ EEZ.
“The National Task Force-West Philippine Sea wishes to emphasize that China has no authority or power to conduct law enforcement operations in our exclusive economic zone,” Malaya said on Saturday.
This came after the NTF-WPS said that Chinese vessels made dangerous maneuvers and harassed two Armed Forces of the Philippines boats and two Philippine Coast Guard escort ships.
The Philippine vessels were on a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre, which is stationed on the Ayungin Shoal. The resupply mission was successful, the NTF-WPS said.
The Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) responded that its vessels were conducting law enforcement operations, which was rebuffed by Malaya.
“Law enforcement operations in the exclusive economic zone are within the purview of elements of the Philippine government – and that is why mali po iyong sinabi ng China Coast Guard,” Malaya said.
(That is why the statement of the Chinese Coast Guard is wrong.)
“Again, we strongly deplore and condemn the continued illegal, aggressive, and destabilizing conduct of the CCG and [Chinese maritime militia] CMM within the nation’s exclusive economic zone,” he added.
In August, the Chinese Coast Guard used a water cannon to disperse Philippine vessels conducting a resupply mission to the BRP Sierra Madre, an action that was condemned by many lawmakers, as well as international leaders.
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