May 12, 2021
Despite diplomatic protests filed by the Department of Foreign Affairs against China in connection with the latter’s ships on the Julian Felipe Reef, presidential spokespersonHarry Roque said on Tuesday that the Philippines does not cover that part of the ocean.
“We’re making a big thing out of the fact, when that area was never under our possession,” said Roque in a Palace briefing.
“Ang talagang nag-aagawan sa Julian Felipe, Vietnam at China,” he added.
Roque, however, said the government is not dismissing the claim to such an area.
“Our claim is Julian Felipe Reef is an island and an island generates maritime territory. Pero ni hindi nga po ‘yan kabahagi ng arbitration natin, napakalayo talaga niyan sa atin. Pero hindi po natin binabalewala ang claim natin,” he insisted.
SunStar
File May 12, 2021 MORE than 200 Chinese maritime militia (CMM) vessels were again found in the West Philippine Sea, the National Task Force West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said on Wednesday, May 12, 2021.
In a statement, the task force said their latest maritime patrol on May 9 spotted a total of 287 Chinese ships near various features off Kalayaan town in Palawan.
One Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel was also seen at the shoal on May 7.
The ships spotted on May 9 included two Houbei Class missile warships at the Panganiban (Mischief) Reef; one CMM off Lawak Island; 11 CMMs at approximately 29 nautical miles southwest of Recto (Reed) Bank; and one CMM vessel was at the Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal.
12 May 2021
Julian Felipe Reef is not part of the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s spokesman, Harry Roque, claimed Tuesday.
“It’s not even part of our EEZ. Julian Felipe reef is outside that zone; that’s how far it is,” Roque said during a virtual press briefing on May 11.
Julian Felipe Reef is located approximately 175 nautical miles west of Bataraza, a municipality of the Philippine province of Palawan.
The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) defines an EEZ as “extending 200 nautical miles from shore,” according to the World Trade Organization. Within this zone, “the coastal state has the right to explore and exploit, and the responsibility to conserve and manage, both living and non-living resources.”
Some 287 Chinese vessels suspected to be maritime militia remain scattered over various parts of the Kalayaan town in Palawan, both within and outside the country’s exclusive economic zone, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea reported on Wednesday.
But Roque said,“We talked this morning (Wednesday) and we’re fine.” Last Tuesday, Roque said that Julian Felipe Reef is outside of the Philippine EEZ, which is contrary to the position of the DFA that it is located 175 nautical miles off Bataraza, Palawan. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), of which the Philippines and China are signatories, islands and waters located 200 nautical miles from the territorial baselines of a coastal country is within its EEZ. Later on Tuesday, Roque retracted his statement on Julian Felipe Reef, saying that the Philippines is never giving up its claim on it as it is part of the country’s EEZ.