Class and type: Jacinto class (also known at Tatlong Bayani class)| Type: Patrol Corvette| Displacement 763 tons full load| Length: 205.4 ft (62.6 m)| Beam: 32.8 ft (10.0 m)| Draft: 8.9 ft (2.7 m)| Installed power: 14,188 bhp Propulsion: 2 x APE-Crossley SEMT-Pielstick 18 PA6 V 280 Diesel engines, 2 x shafts , 1 x Schottel S103 LSVEST drop-down, shrouded loiter retractable propeller, 181 shp| Speed: 25 knots (sustained speed) |Range: 2,500 nmi at 17 knots | Boats and landing | craft carried: 2 x Avon Searaider 5.4m 30-kn. 10-man Semi-rigid boat aft | Complement: 31 | Sensors and processing systems: Sperry Marine Naval BridgeMaster E Series Surface Search Radar, Kelvin Hughes Type 1006 Navigation Radar , Ultra Electronics Command and Control System, Radamec 1500 Series 2500 Electro-Optical Tracking/Fire Control System | Armament: 1 × 76 mm Oto Melara Compact DP gun, 1 x 25 mm M242, Bushmaster on MSI Defense Seahawk mount, 2 × 20 mm Oerlikon guns, 2 × .50 caliber machine guns, Armor: Belted Steel
PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines - Naval authorities on Thursday (December 1, 2011) arrested five Chinese nationals for allegedly fishing illegally in Palawan's southernmost sea corridor off Balabac.
Adm. Rostum Peña, Naval Forces West (Navforwest) commander, said the five were brought to Puerto Princesa on board BRP Apolinario Mabini on Saturday for the filing of charges.
He said the Chinese fishermen were spotted aboard a speed boat some 1.5 nautical miles from the coastal village of Ramos, Balabac, and were captured following a chase by an enforcement team led by a Navy patrol boat.
The Chinese's boat yielded five live marine turtles, three dead ones and assorted fishing paraphernalia, including butchering tools.
China used to use undercover agent to spy as fishermen to search out and monitor the latest development in the area for their future plan.
Pakistan Observer published Saturday that Oil exploration in Chinese claimed waters is pending and several wells will be drilled next year in 2012 in any area in South China Sea. As a prelude to a climax, China has warned Vietnam, the Philippines and India (under license from Vietnam) against doing so.
Peña said the arrested Chinese nationals were believed to have come from the Chinese province of Hainan and were part of a bigger fishing fleet which was able to elude arrest.
The Chinese speed boat, according to Navforwest spokesperson Lt. Noel Joseph Cadigal, had two high-powered outboard engines and tried to ram the naval patrol boat before attempting to escape.
Cadigal said the Chinese speed boat malfunctioned during the chase allowing the law enforcers to catch up.
Peña, in an interview, said he observed that the Chinese poachers have adopted a different approach and were no longer the ones conducting fishing but were instead financing local villagers to conduct the illegal fishing.
"We need our local government units to be more vigilant and prevent this form of exploitation by foreign poachers," Peña said.
Dozens of Chinese poachers got away with illegal fishing in Palawan in the past after national government officials, often the Department of Foreign Affairs, interceded on their behalf following Chinese government pressure.
China is claiming the entire South China Sea as its territory in a dispute with several other countries in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, which claims part of the Spratly islands and refers to the South China Sea as the West Philippine Sea.
China's To Start Drilling oil in Spratlys by 2012
The drilling platform of China, would soon be heading in the 38 general's direction - southward into waters rich in oil and natural gas, and also in volatile fuel for potential conflict.
China pointing the Map down south adjacent to the City of Puerto Princesa Palawan, Province of the Philippines. China is willing to face war and conflict just to drill the oil and gas with or without approval from the Philippines government as they claim the area as undisputable and it core interest.
Regardless of the UNCLOS provision of 200 Nautical Miles Exclusive Economic Zone for the Philippines and other neighboring country within the proximity of the West Philippines Sea (South China Sea), china believed their map is right and will surpassed / overpower the United Nations International laws of Sea as they have their own laws and concept.
