China takes Philippine atoll | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com
▻http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2016/03/02/1558682/china-takes-philippine-atoll
Image from Google Maps shows the location of Quirino (Jackson) atoll, a ring-shaped coral reef 140 nautical miles west of Palawan.
The Chinese have taken over another traditional Filipino fishing ground near Palawan where they have stationed up to five ships to keep local fishermen at bay, sources said.
Now effectively under Chinese control is Quirino or Jackson Atoll, which has been a rich source of catch for a long time for fishermen from Palawan, Southern Luzon, Western Visayas and even Manila.
Gray and white Chinese vessels have not left the atoll, which Filipino fishermen also call Jackson Five, because of the existence of five lagoons in the area.
The Chinese are claiming almost the entire South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. Manila is contesting Beijing’s claim before an international arbitral court based in The Hague.
Filipino fishermen lamented the Chinese vessels would not allow them to come near or linger in the Quirino Atoll.
The area is between the Philippine-occupied Lawak Island and the Chinese-occupied Panganiban (Mischief) Reef.