The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) successfully drove away a foreign fishing vessel from the territorial sea of Lawak Island in the Kalayaan Island Group on Friday, October 23.

PCG personnel on Lawak Island monitored the vessel lying approximately two nautical miles northeast of the island, within its 12-nautical-mile territorial sea, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said in a social media post.

In the early afternoon, a rubber boat was deployed to conduct maritime patrol and law enforcement operations and to direct the vessel to vacate the area. Upon reaching the vessel, personnel conducted multiple radio challenges.

Repeated verbal warnings and instructions to leave the territorial sea of Lawak Island were also issued by the PCG team, prompting the vessel to proceed northward, away from the island.

According to Tarriela, the PCG team escorted the vessel at a safe distance and continued to issue radio challenges and public address warnings until it was driven away from the island.

“This is the sixth operation conducted by the PCG in less than four weeks to drive away foreign vessels from the Kalayaan Island Group, following the repelling of Chinese Maritime Militia Vessel (CMMV) 9622 and its sampans from Kota Island on 28 September and 09 October 2026, five (5) foreign fishing vessels from Kota Island on 11 October 2026, Chinese fishing vessel YUETAIYU 63168 and its four small boats from Lawak Island on 15 October 2026, and a foreign fishing vessel from Kota Island on 18 October 2026,” Tarriela wrote.

Lawak Island is part of the Municipality of Kalayaan in the province of Palawan. Under international law, the Philippines exercises full sovereignty over its territorial sea. According to the PCG, no foreign vessel is allowed to fish in the area without authorization.

“Such activities likewise constitute violations of Philippine laws, including the Philippine Fisheries Code and the Philippine Maritime Zones Act,” Tarriela said.