Atin Ito ship returning to Manila as China vessel shadows
The ship of the Atin Ito Coalition is heading back to Manila after its civilian mission to the West Philippine Sea (WPS), one of the organizers, Emman Hizon, said Thursday morning.
According to Hizon, China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel 21549 continued to shadow Atin Ito's M/V Kapitan Felix Oca with a distance of 4.2 nautical miles.
The Atin Ito ship is expected to arrive in Manila at 4 p.m. on Friday, Hizon said, adding that its voyage was slowing down due to offshore waves.
Despite the shadowing of Chinese ships and bad weather on Wednesday, Atin Ito Coalition conducted a concert off the territorial waters of Pagasa Island as part of its third civilian mission to the WPS.
"Mission accomplished! This is a moment of triumph not just for our mission, but for every Filipino who dreams of peace and justice in our seas. We made history today by holding the very first sea concert deep in the West Philippine Sea, just two nautical miles from Pag-asa Island," Atin Ito co-convenor Rafaela David earlier said.
"Despite being shadowed by Chinese marine vessels, we stood our ground. Our artists sang not just to entertain, but to resist, to unite, and to inspire," she added.
Supplies were delivered to fisherfolk in the area.
A symbolic flag-raising ceremony was also held on board Atin Ito's ship in observance of the National Flag Day.
More than 150 people are on board M/V Kapitan Felix Oca including volunteers, artists and their crew, the press, as well as boat staff.
The civilian mission started on May 26 and is expected to end on May 30.
Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.
Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country's claim.
The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc.
In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."
China has refused to recognize the decision. — VDV, GMA Integrated News
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