THE Armed Forces yesterday described as “irresponsible and unprofessional” the Chinese Navy’s act of harassing a Philippine Navy ship near the Philippine-occupied Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea over the weekend.
AFP spokesman Col. Medel Aguilar said incidents of Chinese harassment “will only destroy their image further internationally as such actions show how they disrespect international laws and conventions and reveal their blatant disregard to the well-being of other people’s lives.”
In Beijing, the Chinese foreign ministry said the Philippines violated China’s sovereignty.
“The Philippine side illegally occupied the islands and seriously violated China’s sovereignty,” the foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular news conference.
Pag-asa Island is about 280 nautical miles northwest of Puerto Princesa City in Palawan. Hundreds of troops and civilians are staying in the island.
National Security Council assistant director general and National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea spokesman Jonathan Malaya asked why the Chinese Navy ship was near Pag-asa Island when the 2016 Permanent Court of Arbitration invalidated China’s excessive claim in the West Philippine Sea.
“It’s the Philippines who has the right to enforce laws, whether international or domestic laws, in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.
The military on Sunday night reported that BRP Benguet was about 5.8 nautical miles from Pag-asa Island last Friday when it was shadowed and subjected to dangerous maneuver by a Chinese Navy ship with bow number 621.
The Philippine Navy ship was on the way to deliver supplies to troops stationed at another Rizal Reef when the incident occurred.
The military said BRP Benguet was shadowed at a distance of 850 meters, with the Chinese Navy ship coming as close as 350 meters as it attempted to cross the bow of the Philippine Navy ship.
The Philippine Navy vessel told the Chinese Navy ship to “steer clear of the BRP Benguet.”
Aguilar said BRP Benguet was able to complete its rotation and resupply mission after the incident.
He said BRP Benguet did not change course while being harassed by the Chinese ship.
“Looking at the video footage, it was the PLAN (People’s Liberation Army Navy) that changed its course after the exchanges of challenges. In the exchanges of challenges, our Navy personnel warned them that they are violating specific provisions of Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea,” he said.
“Still, the act of deliberately attempting to cross the path of our vessel is irresponsible and unprofessional,” added Aguilar.
Chinese Coast Guard vessels, in the past months, subjected to similar harassment Philippine Coast Guard ships escorting military-charted wooden boats delivering supplies to troops at Ayungin Shoal.
Asked what the military’s instructions are to Navy personnel who may be subjected to similar harassment, Aguilar said, “Be firm and strong in protecting our people and what belongs to them.”
Malaya said the Navy is unfazed.
There was a dangerous maneuver, shadowing (by the Chinese ship) and there were radio challenges between the two sides. But our resupply vessel reached Rizal Reef… Our Navy personnel are not frightened. They will continue to do what is necessary to resupply our people and of course our fishermen in the West Philippine Sea,” he said. — With Reuters
