A vessel carrying a group of patriots accompanied by some foreigners arrived back in Manila Friday afternoon after completing their third mission of peace dubbed “Atin Ito” to the disputed West Philippine Sea.
The training ship (T/S) Felix Oca dropped anchor at the Manila port at approximately 5:20 p.m.
Aboard were members of the Atin Ito coalition, including the ship’s crew, cadets, journalists, and local and international music artists from Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
The group announced that a China Coast Guard (CCG) ship, which had been trailing a Philippine vessel carrying Atin Ito volunteers, ceased its pursuit early Friday morning.
According to Capt. Jorge Dela Cruz, skipper of T/S Felix Oca, the CCG vessel disengaged at approximately 2 a.m., west of El Nido, Palawan.
The group concluded its mission on Pag-asa Island, where they held a sea concert, as well as a pre-departure performance at El Nido, Palawan. They also distributed over 20 gallons of fuel to local fisherfolk on the island.
During the mission’s second day on May 27, Dela Cruz, reported sighting two more Chinese CCG vessels shadowing the Atin Ito convoy, which was being escorted by two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ships.
One of the CCG vessels reportedly issued a radio challenge directed at the civilian ship and the PCG escorts.
Despite the apparent harassment, Atin Ito successfully completed its mission on Pag-asa Island, where a sea concert was held and over 20 gallons of fuel were distributed to local fisherfolk.
The pre-departure concert aboard the same vessel in El Nido, Palawan, featured renowned Filipino artists Noel Cabangon and Ebe Dancel.
The concert took place as the coalition reported that two China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels were tailing their civilian ship en route to Pag-asa Island on Tuesday morning.
According to the group, CCG vessels 3306 and 21549 began shadowing the civilian ship approximately 54 nautical miles off the coast of El Nido, Palawan.
They set sail on Sunday en route to Pag-asa Islands to launch its peace concert by the WPS on Wednesday, featuring a line-up of musical talents from the Philippines, South Korea, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
