SUMMARY

MANILA, Philippines – Shadowing and blocking maneuvers by China in the West Philippine Sea are nothing new for personnel of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), nor for Philippine journalists who are practically regulars in missions to those waters as part of the government’s “transparency initiative.”

But what is new in February 2024 is where those maneuvers are taking place: in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal, a feature over 100 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales that’s also the new focus of the much spoken-about initiative.

On February 22, and again on the 23rd, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship BRP Datu Sanday entered the shoal’s territorial sea for a rotational deployment alongside the PCG. During these missions, the BFAR distributes to Fi…

Source:https://www.rappler.com/philippines/beijing-china-bristles-at-media-presence-bajo-de-masinloc/