More than 50 Chinese maritime militia vessels have swarmed around an empty maritime feature close to Palawan, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman on West Philippine Sea issue Commodore Jay Tarriela said yesterday. Officers and crew of BRP Cape San Agustin and BRP Cape Engaño, and a patrol aircraft spotted the Chinese vessels “scattered or clustered together” around Rozul or Iroquois Reef, around 130 nautical miles away from the coast of Palawan, last June 18. The PCG challenged the illegal “swarming and anchoring activities” of the Chinese maritime militia vessels through radio, informing them they “violate the principles of freedom of navigation and infringe upon the sovereign rights of the Philippines in its EEZ” or the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.

Ong, G., & Punongbayan, M. (2025, June 20). PCG: Chinese militia vessels swarm Rozul reef. The Philippine Star, p. 2.