MANILA – The Philippine Navy (PN) said that it monitored a total of 28 Chinese warships and coast guard vessels across four key features in the West Philippine Sea during the first part of April.

PN spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the vessels were detected from April 5 to 12 in Bajo de Masinloc, Ayungin Shoal, Escoda Shoal, and Pag-asa Island.

At Bajo de Masinloc, 10 China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels were observed. In Ayungin Shoal, authorities recorded the presence of three People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships and six CCG vessels.

In Escoda Shoal, one PLAN vessel and three CCG ships were monitored, while in Pag-asa Island, one Chinese warship and four CCG vessels were detected.

The latest figure is lower compared to March, when the Navy recorded 90 Chinese warships and coast guard vessels across the same areas.

“Specific to the WPS, we have documented the persistent and unauthorized presence of the PLAN and CCG. For this month, a total of 90 different vessels were monitored across (four) key features,” Trinidad earlier said.

For March, the Navy broke down the sightings as follows: 49 vessels in Bajo de Masinloc (17 PLAN, 32 CCG), 15 in Pag-asa Island (four PLAN, 11 CCG), 14 in Ayungin Shoal (four PLAN, 10 CCG), and 12 in Escoda Shoal (seven PLAN, five CCG).