On April 10, 2012, Filipino sailors inspected Chinese fishing
vessels earlier spotted roaming in Philippine waters by
Philippine Navy surveillance planes. They discovered tons of
illegally acquired large clams, corals, and other marine species
already classified as endangered. Instead of surrendering, two
bigger Chinese surveillance ships intervened impeding the
intended arrest of the Chinese fishermen. The maritime standoff
happened in the West Philippine Sea referred by China as South
China Sea in a little shoal called Panatag claimed by China as
Huangyan Island. Panatag is a Filipino word that roughly
translates to tranquility or peace. It is also the name given to
a cluster of reefs found west of Luzon, the biggest island of
the Philippines (Panatag Shoal is internationally known as
Scarborough). The shoal is known for the dense marine life it
fosters and possible oil and gas deposits it contains.
Ironically, the current tension stemming from what occurred in
the shoal is nowhere near tranquil and peacefu