00:00The Philippine Coast Guard is still waiting for the order of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
00:05regarding the floating barrier that was placed by China in Bajo de Masinloc.
00:10Christian Bascones of PTV with the country's latest news.
00:16There is still no order from President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr.
00:19to remove the floating barriers that were placed by China in Bajo de Masinloc.
00:24We have talked to Commodore Triella
00:28and whatever operation they will do, we will not be able to expose.
00:32But we trust the Coast Guard, the DND,
00:39in their decision regarding this.
00:43If you can remember, the Philippine Coast Guard removed the floating barriers
00:47that were placed by China in Bajo de Masinloc.
00:49After the resupply mission and joint maritime patrol
00:53of the Philippine Coast Guard and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of BFAR,
00:57the PCG repeated that the Chinese maritime militia placed floating barriers
01:02to block the entry of the Filipino fishing boats in Bajo de Masinloc,
01:07also known as Scarborough Shoal.
01:09Aside from the seven ships of the China Coast Guard,
01:12including the three inflatable boats,
01:15two ships and one helicopter of the People's Liberation Army,
01:18two Chinese warships were also seen inside the Panatag Shoal.
01:23We also documented the presence of two Chinese maritime militia
01:27inside the shoal of Bajo de Masinloc
01:30last 24 March when we did an MDA flight using the BFAR aircraft.
01:36We believe that those two Chinese maritime militia inside the shoal
01:41are the vessels that are responsible in laying those floating barriers
01:47that we also documented at the southeast entrance of Bajo de Masinloc.
01:52The PCG is prepared for any orders from the President.
01:56Even though there is a planned plan,
01:59it cannot be disclosed to the public yet.
02:02The installation of floating barriers by the Chinese government
02:07is dependent on the presence of Philippine government vessels.
02:13If they see that there is a high number of Filipino fishermen
02:18at the same time there is a number of Philippine Coast Guard and BFAR vessels
02:24joining the Filipino fishing boats,
02:28they initiated the installation of the barrier.
02:32But again, as to the intention of the government
02:36about what are we going to do with this barrier,
02:39is an operational detail.
02:41For now, their priority is to maintain the presence of Philippine boats
02:46at the shoal, to supply the needs of the fishermen,
02:50and to provide security to them.
02:53Christian Bascones for Pambansang TV in Bagong, Philippines.
Comments