AFP supports PCG in disputed waters after China harasses Filipino vessels

On Monday, an AFP spokesperson reiterated support for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and other maritime law enforcement agencies operating in disputed waters following recent tensions with China.

Col. Francel Margareth Padilla emphasized that the AFP will address any challenges from foreign forces professionally and practice maximum tolerance while asserting its presence in the West Philippine Sea to protect sovereignty and national interests.

On February 22, a PCG vessel was harassed by Chinese vessels near Scarborough Shoal (Panatag Shoal) while supplying fuel to Filipino fishermen.

The incident prompted Manila's accusation that China attempted to block another vessel delivering supplies to fishermen near Bajo de Masinloc on the same day.

This renewed tension comes after Chinese personnel had previously forced Filipino fishers to discard their catch and leave the waters on January 12, prompting the government’s commitment to increase its maritime presence in the area.

The Philippines has been engaged in legal disputes with China over territorial claims, including a case won by Manila before the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2016, which invalidated Beijing's nine-dash line claim and recognized Scarborough Shoal as a traditional fishing ground shared among neighboring countries.