KOTA ISLAND, KALAYAAN, PALAWAN — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) drove away five unauthorized foreign fishing vessels from the waters of Kota Island on October 11, 2026. The Philippine Navy and the Philippine Marine Corps supported the operation. The effort reinforces the government’s drive to protect Philippine maritime territory and deter illegal fishing.
How the Operation Unfolded
The operation began at about 2:15 p.m. At that time, PCG personnel on Kota Island spotted a foreign fishing vessel preparing for suspected illegal fishing just 200 meters from the shoreline. Meanwhile, another foreign vessel loitered about one nautical mile west of the island. Both vessels were inside the island’s 12-nautical-mile territorial sea, and neither responded to radio challenges.
At 3:00 p.m., the PCG sent two rubber boats with six personnel toward the vessels. As the team moved closer, the vessel near the shore pulled back a sampan it had deployed. At the same time, the team spotted three more foreign fishing vessels approaching the island.
As the Philippine team kept advancing, all five vessels withdrew beyond Kota Island’s territorial sea. The operation ended at 4:00 p.m. without any untoward incident.
Third Operation in Two Weeks
This was the third time in two weeks that Coast Guard Station Kota had driven foreign vessels away from the island.
On October 9, the PCG repelled Chinese Maritime Militia Vessel (CMMV) 9622 and its 22 sampans. The PCG had also driven the same vessel away on September 28. This pattern shows the continuing need for vigilance in the Kalayaan Island Group.
Kota Island is part of the Municipality of Kalayaan, Palawan. Under international law and Philippine legislation, foreign fishing in Philippine territorial waters must follow the country’s laws and authorization requirements. As a result, unauthorized fishing may violate the Philippine Fisheries Code and the relevant provisions of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act.
PCG Reaffirms Vigilance in the Kalayaan Island Group
PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil L. Gavan leads the Coast Guard. Under his leadership, it vowed to keep monitoring the waters around Kota Island. It will also stay alert to further unauthorized maritime activity, in close coordination with the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Marine Corps.
The operation also matches the administration’s stated policy of protecting the country’s maritime interests and the rights of Filipino fishermen. In his State of the Nation Address on July 27, 2026, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the 2016 Arbitral Award. He also recognized the role of the PCG, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Filipino fishermen in safeguarding these interests.
Overall, the PCG’s latest action shows how coordinated maritime operations help deter unauthorized fishing, protect marine resources and uphold Philippine jurisdiction in the Kalayaan Island Group.
