No let-up in WPS patrols despite Chinese harassment

Philippine News Agency

By Priam Nepomuceno

May 8, 2025, 3:48 pm

MANILA — China’s latest acts of harassment will not deter the Philippines from holding maritime patrols in the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Navy (PN) said Thursday.

“We will keep performing our mandate, we will keep performing the patrols,” Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad told reporters on Thursday.

This came after the May 5 incident where Chinese frigates and coast guard ships conducted “aggressive and unsafe maneuvers” against the BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS-35) while it was doing regular patrolling 11.8 nautical miles southeast of Bajo de Masinloc (also known as Scarborough Shoal) in the WPS.

Trinidad said patrols will continue even if China makes it a habit or practice to harass Filipino naval vessels tasked to patrol the vital waterway.

“We will (continue) doing our patrols, hindi naman tayo nag-depende sa kanila (we do not depend on their actions),” he said.

Trinidad added they are not alarmed by this incident as the Chinese are known for doing these things, noting that a similar instance took place some two years ago.

Asked why the PN ship was near Bajo de Masinloc at the time of the incident, Trinidad said this is to show that the area is part of Philippine territory and its mandate.

He also maintained that the PN conducts its regular patrols within 12 nautical miles within its territorial sea.

“It’s a high tide elevation, it’s a rock, (it has a) territorial sea so we will keep performing our mandate,” Trinidad said.

“Lahat ng ating (all our) actions are always within the bounds of domestic and international law, we have ensured that our men understand that all their actions, (and) we have the rules (of) engagements.” (PNA)