By Raymond Carl Dela Cruz
MANILA – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Philippine Navy and Philippine Marine Corps on Sunday repelled five unauthorized foreign fishing vessels from the waters of Kota Island in Kalayaan, Palawan.
In a statement on Monday, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said the operation was carried out by Coast Guard Station (CGS) Kota.
“Kota Island is an integral part of the Municipality of Kalayaan, Palawan. Under international law, the Philippines exercises full sovereignty over its territorial sea, where no foreign vessel may fish without authorization. Such activities also violate the Philippine Fisheries Code and the Philippine Maritime Zones Act,” Tarriela said.
At approximately 2:15 p.m. Sunday, PCG personnel on Kota Island sighted a foreign fishing vessel preparing to conduct illegal fishing about 200 meters from the shoreline, while another was loitering one nautical mile west of the island, both within its 12-nautical-mile territorial sea. Neither vessel responded to radio challenges.
At 3 p.m., two rubber boats manned by six PCG personnel were deployed. As the team approached, the vessel near the shoreline hauled back a sampan it had deployed, while three additional foreign fishing vessels were sighted approaching the island.
Upon the continued approach of the PCG team, all five vessels withdrew and moved outside the territorial sea of Kota Island. The operation concluded at 4 p.m. without incident.
It was the third operation by CGS Kota in two weeks to drive away foreign vessels from the island. On Oct. 9, the PCG repelled Chinese Maritime Militia Vessel 9622 and its 22 sampans, after the same vessel was also repelled on Sept. 28.
“Under the leadership of PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, the PCG continues to monitor the waters around Kota Island and will sustain its vigilance against further intrusions in the Kalayaan Island Group, in close coordination with the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Marine Corps,” he said.
The operation was carried out in accordance with the guidance of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
In his recent State of the Nation Address, the President recognized the PCG, Armed Forces of the Philippines and Filipino fisherfolk as he reaffirmed his commitment to uphold the 2016 Arbitral Award. (PNA)
DRIVEN AWAY. A fishing boat is driven away by combined Philippine personnel aboard rubber boats in waters off Kota Island in the Kalayaan Island Group, Municipality of Kalayaan, Palawan on Sunday (Oct. 11, 2026). The Philippine Coast Guard, with the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Marine Corps, repelled five unauthorized foreign fishing vessels from the waters of Kota Island. (Photo courtesy of PCG)
