On October 13, the Philippines mobilized over 100 vessels, with Canadian warships following behind to provide support!
According to multiple sources and publicly available Automatic Identification System (AIS) data, on that day, the Philippines organized a planned and large-scale operation in two sensitive waters: Huangyan Island and Scarborough Shoal.
This time, Manila deployed more than 100 vessels. This is not just an ordinary fishing fleet but a mixed formation organized by the Philippine side. It includes a large number of civilian vessels—supposedly fishing boats—but they are not solely for fishing. Instead, they entered the waters near Huangyan Island and Scarborough Shoal in coordination with several Philippine Coast Guard patrol ships and government vessels. This combination of "fishing boats + government vessels" has become a typical operational model used by the Philippines in recent years.
More notably, military forces were involved. AIS signal tracking data showed that the Philippine Navy dispatched at least two main warships to the area near Scarborough Shoal on that day: the BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) and the BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS-16).
The Antonio Luna is a missile frigate of the "Jose Rizal-class" purchased from South Korea, with a full load displacement of approximately 2,600 tons, equipped with anti-ship missiles, air defense missiles, and ship guns. It is one of the most combat-capable vessels in the Philippine Navy. Its presence indicates that this operation was definitely not a simple fisheries enforcement action.
The other vessel, the Ramon Alcaraz, was originally a "Hamilton-class" patrol ship of the U.S. Coast Guard, which had been in service for over 50 years before being transferred to the Philippines in 2013. Although it is old, after upgrades, it still has strong maritime law enforcement and patrol capabilities. The deployment of these two warships indicates that the Philippine Navy directly participated in the support and protection of this operation.
However, what drew even more attention was the presence of the Canadian Navy. Public information shows that a "Harry DeWolf-class" polar patrol ship of the Canadian Navy was accompanying the Philippine Navy vessels in the relevant waters at that time.
Although the Canadian government stated that its activity was a routine operation under the themes of "freedom of navigation" and "ally cooperation," the high coincidence of time and location makes its actual role seem more like providing backing for the Philippines' provocation behind the scenes.
Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1845922334184458/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.