Kalayaan protesters: China ship, helicopter patrol Pagasa island

The members of Kalayaan Atin Ito group during their visit to Pagasa Island. (INQUIRER PHOTO)

Kalayaan Atin Ito, a group of around 50 members who recently finished a protest in Pagasa (Thitu) Island in the Spratlys in the South China Sea, claimed that during their stay, a Chinese Coast Guard ship and helicopter patrolled the island every day during their stay.

“While at Pagasa island–the seat of our Kalayaan municipality–every day, a Chinese Coast Guard patrol ship with bow number 46708 patrolled the shores of our island even inside the 12 nautical miles territorial waters,” the group said in a statement yesterday.

“Also, almost every day, Chinese Coast Guard helicopter patrolled the shores of the Pagasa island–too close that we were able to record it on video through a low tech mobile phone,” it added.

The group, composed of volunteers ranging from 15 to 27 years old, stayed on the island for seven days (Dec. 26 to Jan. 1) to protest China’s expansion in the South China Sea.

The Philippine government was not in favor of the protest, which was led by former Marine officer Captain Nicanor Faeldon, but the military monitored the group throughout their stay.

The group also slammed China’s “triangle militarized zone” from Fiery Cross Reef to Subi Reef and Mischief Reef.

“Inside this triangle are the other military bases that China has built,” the group said.

“Today, it became impossible for our Armed Forces to pass through this triangle as we have experienced when our Philippine Navy tried to tail us but passed through a route outside this triangle and this was admitted by the AFP. Our fishermen, too, cannot fish in these fishing grounds. In fact, in the entire West Philippine

Sea, we have lost its value as a fishing ground to China,” it added.

The group said they will present more details of pictures, videos, and illustrations once they have settled.

They returned to Palawan on Sunday.

PH OPPOSES CHINA’S RUNWAY TEST

The Philippine government said yesterday that like Vietnam, it opposes China’s recent test of a newly completed runway on one of seven islands Beijing has constructed in the disputed South China Sea.

Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman Charles Jose said the government was considering protesting China’s action, as Vietnam did, adding that the test at Fiery Cross Reef “adds to tension and uncertainties in the region.”

Vietnam last week protested the test, saying it violated Hanoi’s sovereignty, and demanded that China stop such actions. China rejected Hanoi’s protest and will likely dismiss Manila’s concerns as well.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said Saturday that China deployed a “civil aircraft” on the island, which it calls Yongshu Jiao, to determine whether the new airfield in what she said was Chinese territory conformed to civil aviation standards.