PCG presents floating barrier removed from Scarborough Shoal

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) presented the anchor of the floating barrier that China had illegally installed in Scarborough Shoal.

The PCG's operation to remove the barrier was ordered by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and National Security Adviser Eduardo Año, who heads the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.

Defense Secretary Gilbert Teodoro asserted that the barrier was a hazard to Filipino fishers and its removal was not a provocation.

PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela stated that the action aligns with international law and the Philippines' sovereignty over the shoal.

China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin claimed the barrier was installed to prevent a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel from trespassing.

Despite the removal, tensions remain high as China continues to assert territorial claims over the South China Sea.