A maritime law expert said that the reported presence of the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) big vessel in the West Philippine Sea appears to be a form of intimidation toward the country, showing that it still refuses to acknowledge the 2016 arbitral ruling.

“This is another example that shows that China continues to ignore our rights over the West Philippine Sea. I think they did that to intimidate us because I heard they deployed it in Ayungin Shoal where the BRP Sierra Madre is placed,” Jay Batongbacal, director of the University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea, said at an ambush interview at an Akbayan Party forum on Monday.

“It looks like they are planning something since it’s not just the monster vessel, which is the biggest China Coast Guard ship, that is present there but there are also other vessels surrounding the area. So this is a concern but I hope there won’t be any incidents in that place,” he added.

In the forum, Batongbacal said that the Marcos administration’s foreign policy about the West Philippine Sea was on the right track.

“Since the start of the Marcos administration, at least one thing that has been noticeable is that the Department of Foreign Affairs has seen a change in leadership which has shifted more towards its professional career officials. (Secretary) Enrique Manalo, the undersecretary and assistant secretaries have mostly been professional career diplomats,” he said.

“And that is why I believe that foreign policy with respect to the South China Sea has returned back the original track, one of pursuing national interest,” he added.

Former United States Air Force Col. Ray Powell said on Twitter that the CCG 5901, which weighs 12,000 tons, was spotted with over 30 Chinese vessels within the country’s exclusive economic zone.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has yet to issue a statement confirming the presence of the Chinese vessels. Jaspearl Tan/DMS