Marines keep an eye on Batanes

The Philippine Marines are now part of efforts to secure the northern waters of the Philippines amid illegal fishing and poaching activities by Taiwanese fishermen.

“We have established our lateral monitoring detachment also known as Lateral Observatory Station manned by the Marines in the north last March 1 in Batanes,” Capt. Albert Mogol told reporters.

The unit in charge of securing the country’s northern territorial waters is the Task Force 11. It is also guarded by the Philippine Coast Guard.

Mogol, however, did not say how many Marines were deployed to the area. They are stationed at the compound of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration in Batanes with support vessels.

In May, a standoff took place between the Philippine and Taiwanese coast guards near Batanes after the PCG apprehended the Taiwanese fishing boat.

The incident took place amid efforts of both economies to work on their differences in their overlapping marine economic areas.

In 2013, a Philippine Coast Guard officer killed a Taiwanese fisherman believed to be fishing in Philippine waters. The incident sparked outrage in Taiwan.