Defense dep’t hails pullout of one Chinese vessel from Scarborough Shoal

MANILA, Philippines—The Department of National Defense on Friday welcomed the pullout of a Chinese vessel from the scene of a tense impasse in the waters around the disputed Scarborough (Panatag) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

“We welcome that move on the part of the Chinese. We can view that as a positive [sign],” defense spokesperson Peter Paul Galvez said.

But he stopped short of saying tensions had eased on the fourth day of the standoff that started on April 10 when the Philippines’ biggest warship, the BRP Gregorio Del Pilar, confronted Chinese vessels illegally fishing in the area and then were blocked by two Chinese surveillance ships.

The Philippine Coast Guard then sent a patrol gunboat and the BRP Del Pilar left, supposedly to restock and refuel. A third Chinese vessel, a civilian ship, on the other hand, joined the standoff on Thursday and exited on Friday.

“They are still observing each other,” Galvez said in reply to a question on whether there was still a standoff.

In a briefing at Camp Aguinaldo, the official said the Philippine decision to remove the Del Pilar from the scene sprang from its “assessment for the diplomatic resolution of the situation.”

Following the pullout of the third Chinese vessel, Galvez said, “Then we can now proceed with effecting whatever maritime rules and laws we have.”

“We are very hopeful this situation will be resolved very soon,” he told reporters.

Asked if the situation called for intervention by the United States, Galvez said he believed the Philippine and Chinese sides could settle the conflict by themselves.

“We believe the situation can be handled by the DFA and the Chinese foreign affairs also. This situation has always been aimed for. We are just simply respecting the current diplomatic situation that we have there,” he said.

In the meantime, Galvez said, the Philippines would continue standing guard over the Scarborough Shoal, which is located within the country’s 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone.

“It’s our territory. We’ll always monitor that particular area and all other areas around the Philippines. All our naval assets are patrolling the waters, the EEZ, from both sides of the Pacific, eastern, western seaboards and also the south,” he said.

Galvez also said he did not believe China was singling out the Philippines among the countries with which it had territorial disputes because of the latter’s weak defenses.

“They have issues with other countries. It has happened to other countries as well,” he said.