MANILA, Philippines—Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana cast doubt on China’s claim that Chinese vessels anchored near Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef in the West Philippine Sea were fishing boats.
“That is their standard line but those ships are not fishing,” Lorenzana told INQUIRER.net on Thursday (March 25).
“And there are 183 to 220 of them? If it’s true that they are sheltering from the elements, that area is open sea and not conducive to shelter,” he said.
“Why are they lashed together? I don’t know if lashing together ships in open turbulent seas is a good idea as they would be colliding with each other,” he said, commenting on the remarks of Chinese officials that the vess…
Keep on reading: ‘Those ships are not fishing’: Lorenzana doubts China yarn on vessels in PH EEZ