The military stated Monday that the Pag-asa cays remain in Philippine sovereignty since there is no evidence that the Chinese Coast Guard has seized possession of any of them around Pag-asa Island, situated in the municipality of Kalayaan in the West Philippine Sea.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), in a statement issued Monday, said the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) narrative about dealing with six Filipino personnel who landed on Sandy Cay runs counter to the maritime operations and verification conducted by the Western Command (Wescom).
“Based on our regular maritime operations and verification by the Western Command, there is no truth to the allegations that the China Coast Guard has occupied or taken over any of the cays surrounding Pag-asa Island,” the AFP said.
Further bolstering their assertion that there hasn’t been any occupation or takeover by CCG, the AFP supplied images of uniformed servicemen raising the Philippine flag on the cays in Pag-asa Island.
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The military conducted the Inter-Agency Maritime Operation (IAMO) on April 27 at Pag-asa Cays 1 to 4 and the surrounding waters. Personnel from the Philippine Navy (PN), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and PNP-Maritime Group participated to ensure the continuous monitoring and control of the cays and adjacent areas.
The cays are situated at a distance of 12 nautical miles from Pag-asa, which is the sole barangay of Kalayaan town that is located inside the territory of the Philippines.
It noted that Pag-asa Cay 2 is part of the Philippine territory under its sovereignty, while the other cays are considered low-tide elevations that form part of the territorial sea and seabed of Pag-asa Island under international law.
The locals value the cays close to Pag-asa because they contribute to the expansion of Philippine territorial seas and the strengthening of Philippine sovereignty. These little features enhance the country’s marine rights under international law, providing its inhabitants with more security over the waterways they depend on.
The AFP emphasized that Philippine sovereignty over these cays is clearly established under existing laws.
It assured that it will continue to conduct operations with other agencies to protect national interests, uphold international law, and maintain peace and order in the region.
The denial from the AFP comes in response to claims made by CCG spokesperson Lui Dejun on Sunday that six Filipino troops had breached China’s jurisdiction over the territory by illegally boarding Tiexian Reef, its name for Sandy Cay.
Liu stated that this occurred despite “warnings and dissuasions,” which is why their personnel went to the area to investigate and address the situation in accordance with their laws.
