Chinese coastguardsman holding Philippine fishing vessel (Photo: Philippine Daily Inquirer)
INDO-PACIFIC
The Philippines’ Muted Response to Scarborough Shoal Incident Highlights Flaws
On January 22nd, the Philippine government announced that an incident occurred between Philippine fishermen and the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) at Scarborough Shoal on January 12th. The Philippine government became aware of the incident through several videos posted to social media. The country responded by launching an investigation into the incident to determine how to respond, which included diplomatic protests. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) also admitted that the country had no Philippine maritime law enforcement vessels monitoring the shoal. However, the PCG encouraged fishermen to continue to fish, promising, that there will be Philippine government vessels monitoring the area in the future.