DFA summons China envoy over baselines

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) summoned Chinese Ambassador Huang Xilian yesterday to manifest the Philippines' protest over China's drawing of baselines around Panatag Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc.

- MICHAEL PUNONGBAYAN

"The said baselines infringe upon Philippine sovereignty and contravene international law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the 2016 Arbitral Award," the DFA said in a statement.

The DFA stressed that China's baselines claim released on Sunday following the Philippines' passage of new laws identifying its maritime zones in accordance with international law "have no legal basis and are not binding on the Philippines."

Meanwhile, a Philippine fishing vessel was blocked multiple times by China Coast Guard vessels while attempting to access traditional fishing grounds near Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, according to the boat captain.

Arnel Lepalam, captain of the FFB Hadassah, recounted his crew's experience in a sworn statement shared by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), describing how his vessel was repeatedly blocked and harassed as it tried to enter the area.

"We set out on Oct. 8, 2024, around 1:30 p.m. from Quezon Port (Palawan) to reach Sabina Shoal," Lepalam wrote in Filipino.

He explained that his boat encountered a suspected China Coast Guard (CCG) ship the next day, approximately eight nautical miles north of Bombay Shoal.

As the FFB Hadassah approached Escoda Shoal early on Oct. 9, the vessel identified as CCG ship 4108 began honking its horn and moving close to the fishing boat.

Around 5:50 a.m., Lepalam said another CCG vessel, ship 5203, deployed two speedboats that approached the Filipino boat.