MANILA— The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) drove away a Chinese fishing vessel and four smaller boats suspected of conducting fishing activities within the territorial sea of Lawak Island in the Kalayaan Island Group on Oct. 15.

The PCG said its personnel stationed on the island deployed a rubber boat to document the Chinese fishing vessel YUETAIYU 63168, which had anchored in the area.

Upon reaching the vessel, the Coast Guard team spotted four small boats scattered nearby that were assessed to have been launched from the Chinese fishing vessel to conduct fishing activities.

According to the PCG, its personnel repeatedly attempted to contact the vessel by radio and circled it three times, but received no response. The team then moved to drive away the four smaller boats.

The Coast Guard personnel remained in the area until the Chinese vessel raised its anchor and departed. The four small boats were monitored returning to their mother vessel before it left the territorial sea of Lawak Island.

The PCG said its team returned to the island without any untoward incident.

Lawak Island is part of the Municipality of Kalayaan in Palawan. The Coast Guard said the Philippines exercises sovereignty over its territorial sea under international law, where foreign vessels are prohibited from fishing without authorization.

It added that deploying smaller boats from a Chinese mother vessel to fish in the area violates Philippine laws, including the Philippine Fisheries Code and the Philippine Maritime Zones Act.

The operation followed other recent PCG activities in the Kalayaan Island Group, including the repelling of Chinese Maritime Militia Vessel 9622 and its sampans from Kota Island on Sept. 28 and Oct. 9, as well as five foreign fishing vessels from the same island on Oct. 11.

Under the leadership of PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, the agency said it would continue monitoring YUETAIYU 63168 and maintain vigilance against unauthorized fishing and other intrusions by foreign vessels in the area.

The PCG said the operation was conducted in line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s July 27 State of the Nation Address, during which he vowed that the Philippines would not surrender or waver in defending its territory and maritime rights in the West Philippine Sea in accordance with international law and the 2016 Arbitral Award.