A deployment of another Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel for a routine patrol in the West Philippine Sea near Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal is now being conducted, an official from the PCG said.
PCG spokesperson Commander Armand Balilo said that “a 35-meter BRP Nueva Vizcaya is on its way to Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal and will join to augment the 56-meter BRP Pampanga which was started its full patrol operations in the area last month.”
Balilo said that “each ship tour of duty would last for five days.”
He said, “both PCG vessel will combine in conducting a law enforcement patrol operations against poaching and other lawless activities in the area.”
“I’m leaving it up to the commanding officer of the two ships to determine how far they would conduct patrols,” Balilo added.
The Panatag shoal also known as Bajo de Masinloc is within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone and 124 nautical miles west of Zambales, wherein Zambales is the closest province in the disputed shoal in the West Philippine Sea.
Meanwhile, another PCG vessel is coming on Aug. 18. A 44-meter BRP Tubbataha, the first of the 10 newly built multi-role response vessel from Japan. – JCE.
