Namataan ng tropa ng pamahalaan ang aabot sa 38 Chinese vessels sa bisinidad ng Ayungin Shoal habang isinasagawa ang resupply mission sa BRP Sierra Madre nitong Biyernes.
"The total number of Chinese vessels that we detected during the supply operation was 16 maritime militia vessels that were physically monitored, 12 Chinese militia vessels, five China Coast Guard vessels, and five People's Liberation Army vessels," paliwanag ni Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson on the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela sa isinagawang pulong balitaan.
"In total, we can say that there are a total of 38 Chinese vessels that are present within the vicinity of Ayungin Shoal during this particular resupply operation," dugtong nito.
Gayunman, nilinaw ni Tarriela na hindi lahat ng namataang barko ay may kinalaman sa pagharang sa mga barko ng PCG.
"All in all, there were 11 that actively participated in carrying out dangerous maneuvers to the PCG vessels and also to the resupply boats," aniya.
Ito na rin aniya ang pinakamalaking bilang ng mga Chinese vessel na namataan sa 200-kilometer exclusive economic zone ng Pilipinas.
