PN ready to escort fishermen in West Philippine Sea

The Philippine Navy (PN) said it is fully capable of escorting Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) if directed by higher authorities, following recent incidents of harassment by Chinese maritime forces.

Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, PN spokesperson for the WPS, emphasized the naval service’s readiness to provide protection depending on its operational capabilities, though he declined to give specific security details for safety reasons.

His statement comes after the fishing vessel FFB Prince LJ encountered aggressive maneuvers from the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and China Coast Guard (CCG) near Bajo de Masinloc on Monday. 

Trinidad described such actions as “coercive and aggressive” moves aimed at discouraging Filipino fishermen from pursuing their lawful work.

To counter these challenges, the PN is expanding multilateral and bilateral maritime cooperative activities (MMCAs and BMCAs) with allied nations. 

“Every time we conduct these activities, there seems to be a slight change in the behavior of the PLAN, Coast Guard, and Maritime Militia,” Trinidad said.

He added that increasing the frequency of these drills is intended to influence Chinese maritime behavior. 

Since November 2023, the Philippines has conducted eight MMCAs and 12 BMCAs with partner nations, aiming to reinforce maritime security and safeguard Filipino fishermen in the contested waters.