Flotilla from Philippines turns back

A Philippine boat convoy bearing supplies for Filipino fishers yesterday said that it was headed back to port, ditching plans to sail to a reef off the Southeast Asian country after one of their boats was “constantly shadowed” by a Chinese vessel. The Atin Ito (“This Is Ours”) coalition convoy on Wednesday set sail to distribute fuel and food to fishers and assert Philippine rights in the disputed South China Sea. “They will now proceed to the Subic fish port to mark the end of their successful mission,” the group said in a statement. A Philippine Coast Guard vessel escorting the convoy was also returning to the same port, the agency said. The convoy earlier learned from fishers on boats near Scarborough Shoal (Huangyan Island, 黃岩島) — which Taiwan also claims — via radio “that they had been chased away by the Chinese,” said Emman Hizon, spokesman for the non-government group. However, its “advance team” distributed fuel and other assistance to fishers on Wednesday about 46km to ...