At approximately 1.2 ๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐ง๐จ๐ซ๐ญ๐ก๐ฐ๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ญ๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐, Philippine Coast Guard monitored ๐๐๐๐ 9622 as it deployed 24 ๐๐ข๐ฌ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐๐ญ๐ฌ, each manned by two individuals. The small boats spread out at roughly 50-๐ฒ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ฏ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ and were later observed circling within 300 yards of the island while engaged in fishing.
Kota Island is an integral part of the Municipality of Kalayaan, Palawan. Fishing by foreign vessels within its territorial sea, without Philippine authority, violates Philippine sovereignty, Philippine fisheries laws, and the ๐๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐ฐ ๐จ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐๐. CMMV 9622’s refusal to answer radio challenges likewise disregards basic norms of good seamanship.
The footage highlights the close proximity of Chinese vessels to the territorial sea of Kota Island and underscores the continuing challenges faced by the Philippine Coast Guard in monitoring maritime activities in the area.
