Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed the decrease in the number of Chinese fishing vessels in Pagasa Island.

Lorenzana said according to Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Xiao Qian the Chinese fishing vessels return to their country when the fishing season ended.

"When I talked with Ambassador Xiao, he told me that (the Chinese fishing vessels that pull out) is not as many as 100, but they were just there because it's fishing season. He said after the fishing season all them will return to China," he said.

It can be recalled that recently Philippine Special Envoy to China Ramon Tulfo told a columnist that Chinese finishing vessels in Pagasa Island has started to leave.

Tulfo claimed that the pull out of 100 fishing vessel was China's "initial gesture to win the trust and confidence of the Philippine government."

Lorenzana said based on the monitoring of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Command there are few Chinese fishing vessels remain.

"Maybe he was informed about the (pull out) of ships there ( in China), but the report from Western Command shows that... it decreased. The number of ships there has decreased," he added.

Lorenzana attributed the decrease in the number of Chinese fishing vessels in the area of Pagasa island due to the pronouncement of the President Rodrigo Duterte.

"Maybe also because of the statement of the president. He said in his public statement, why are (they) surrounding that (Pagasa Island)... So maybe that is also why they pulled out plus (it is) the end of the fishing season," he said. Robina Asido/DMS