MANILA, Philippines – Nadiskubre ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ang isa pang dilaw na buoy na inilagay sa northern tip ng Bajo de Masinloc Shoal sa isang maritime domain awareness operation.
Sa naturang operasyon, nakaranas pa ito ng panghaharass mula sa isang Chinese navy helicopter at Chinese air force fighter jet.
Ito ay isang araw lamang matapos na madiskubre ang isang buoy sa gitna ng shoal.
Bukod sa dilaw na buoy, nakita rin ng PCG ang isang istruktura sa shoal na nagpapakita na ang konstruksyon ay hindi lamang ginawa kamakailan.
“Moreover, the PCG has secured the precise coordinates of a reported structure observed during yesterday’s operations. These coordinates have enabled a thorough review of historical satellite imagery, confirming the presence of structural debris dating back at least two years,” saad sa pahayag ng PCG.
“This verification underscores that the debris is longstanding and not indicative of recent construction.”
Dagdag pa, sinabi rin ng PCG na sa MDA flight nito ay nakaranas ito ng “aggressive interference by forces from the People’s Republic of China.”
“Immediately following the low-altitude pass of a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy helicopter directly beneath the PCG aircraft, a PLA Air Force Shenyang J-16 fighter jet was deployed to harass and endanger the safe flight path. Such actions pose a clear and unacceptable risk to the safety of PCG personnel and the journalists embedded on the mission,” ayon sa PCG.
Ang Bajo de Masinloc o kilala bilang Scarborough Shoal ay matatagpuan 124 nauticalmiles sa Masinloc, Zambales.
Ito ay ikinokonsiderang pasok sa 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) ng Pilipinas batay sa 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) RNT/JGC
