The Philippines will send coast guard ships to Panatag Shoal (Scarborough), located off the coast of Zambales province, if China "persists" in harassing local fishermen in the area, according to Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin.
"In case CCG (Chinese Coast Guard) Vessel will still persist [in using] water cannon [against our fishermen], response should be calibrated. We will have the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) so as to maintain white to white response and not to heighten the tension," Gazmin told government station PTV-4 on Thursday, February 27.
White to white means coast guard to coast guard operations as opposed to gray to gray meaning navy to navy. The PCG, a civilian unit, is under the Department of Transportation and Communications.
This is the lesson of the 2012 months-long standoff between Manila and Beijing in Panatag. The Philippines was said to have committed a mistake when it sent a warship – then the newly acquired BRP Gregorio Del Pilar – to deal with Chinese fishing boats. (READ: PH's 1st mistake in Scarborough).
Panatag, which is within the country's 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone, is now practically occupied by the Chinese Coast Guard.
Armed Forces chief General Emmanuel Bautista earlier said the Chinese coast guard attempted to drive away local fishermen from the shoal by using water cannon against them.
While the military said the incident "does not merit military response," it recently beefed up coverage of the shoal by transferring commands from the Tarlac-based Northern Luzon Command (Nolcom) to the Palawan-based Western Command (Wescom). The Wescom has more external defense assets. (READ: PH military beefs up coverage of Scarborough)
China offer
The incident came after China's reported offer for Manila to withdraw a case it filed against Beijing in connection with the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
Rappler reported that China, through a Filipino intermediary, offered to withdraw ships from Panatag and put in more investments in the country. In exchange they want Manila not to pursue the arbitration case it filed against China with the United Nations body International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS).(READ: China offers PH 'carrot' to quit case)
The Department of Foreign Affairs said it summoned the Chinese embassy's chargé d’affaires “to strongly protest the efforts of China to prohibit Filipino fishermen from undertaking fishing activities in the Philippines’ Bajo de Masinloc."
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