As reported yesterday, the PCG vessels and BFAR aircraft conducted legitimate patrols in our waters at Bajo De Masinloc to ensure the safety and security of our Filipino fishermen. We have also noted China’s encroachment in Bajo De Masinloc, with the deployment of China Coast Guard vessels, the Chinese Maritime Militia, and even a PLA Navy vessel.
To clarify, the People’s Republic of China has no jurisdiction over Bajo De Masinloc, which is classified as a rock under the 2016 Arbitral Award and Article 121 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Philippines has sovereignty over it, including its territorial sea. The waters beyond Bajo de Masinloc’s 12-nautical-mile territorial sea up to 200 nautical miles, fall within the Philippine EEZ, measured from Luzon’s baseline.
In response to another falsehood propagated by China, I want to emphasize that the PCG vessels and BFAR aircraft left the BDM vicinity by our own decision after successfully providing supplies to the fishermen, rather than due to any expulsion by the Chinese Coast Guard.
https://x.com/jaytaryela/status/1870078334065070488
