Two vessels of the Chinese Coast Guard are permanently positioned at the mouth of the 150-kilometer-wide Scarborough Shoal (Panatag or Bajo de Masinloc to locals), preventing Filipino fishermen from entering, fishing or taking refuge in the area, local fishermen said on Wednesday. In Masinloc town, some 220 km from the shoal, at least 1,500 fishermen have already deserted the contested territory for fear of being driven away by the two Chinese ships, fisherman Bobby Roldan told the Inquirer. Roldan, also vice chair for Luzon of the national fisherfolk group, Pamalakaya, said this would refute the statement of presidential spokesperson Harry Roque who claimed that Filipino fishermen were lying when they said Chinese ships were preventing them from fishing in sections of the West Philippine Sea.

Aglibot, J. R., & Orejas, T. (2021, July 15). Let's go to Panatag, fishers dare Roque. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A8.