MAYNILA. Kinumpirma ng Philippine Navy na dalawang barkong pandigma ng China ang namataan 40 nautical miles timog-silangan ng Bajo de Masinloc habang isinasagawa ang Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity (MMCA) kasama ang Estados Unidos, Canada, at Australia noong Setyembre 2–3.
Ayon kay Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad, kabilang sa mga natukoy na barko ang isang Luyang-class destroyer at isang Jiangkai-class frigate. Aniya, sinundan ng mga barko ng Tsina ang international task group ngunit hindi ito nakilahok sa anumang joint patrol, taliwas sa naunang pahayag ng China.
“These ships were monitored during the conduct of the 10th MMCA (Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity) involving the US Navy, the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Australian Navy and the PN,” ani Trinidad, na tumutukoy sa naval exercises na isinagawa sa karagatan ng Zambales.
“They were observed following the international task group and were not conducting any surface serials or synchronized movement that would generally indicate a joint patrol contrary to publications by the Southern Theater Command,” dagdag niya.
Tinukoy rin ni Trinidad na bahagi umano ng “malign influence operations” ng Beijing ang ganitong pahayag upang bigyang-katwiran ang presensya ng mga barko sa loob ng exclusive economic zone (EEZ) ng Pilipinas.
Ang Bajo de Masinloc, o Scarborough Shoal, ay matatagpuan 124 nautical miles mula Zambales at sakop ng 200-nautical-mile EEZ ng bansa.
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AMA ACLC San Pablo
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