CHINESE Coast Guard and militia vessels harassed two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ships which were on a resupply mission to a Philippine-occupied shoal in the West Philippine Sea in the South China Sea.
The latest harassment incident occurred on Friday last week near Ayungin Shoal, about 108 nautical miles northwest of Rizal in Palawan, or 170 nautical miles northwest of Puerto Princesa City, also in Palawan
Ayungin, also known as Second Thomas Shoal, is inside the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
The incident was first reported by retired Air Force officer Raymond Powell on social media a few days ago. It was only yesterday, during a public briefing, that Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman for the West Philippine Sea (WPS), confirmed it.
The June 30 incident followed a series of Chinese harassment cases in the WPS, the most recent of which was earlier last month when a Chinese Navy vessel tailed the BRP Francisco Dagohoy, a PCG-manned ship of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic, near Pag-asa Island, another Philippine occupied island, in the WPS. The BFAR vessel just delivered fishing equipment to fishermen at the island.
In February this year, also near Ayungin Shoal, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel pointed a military-grade laser at BRP Malapascua, causing temporary blindness of the crew members. The PCG vessel was also then escorting a boat delivering supplies to troops at the shoal.
Last April, a Chinese Coast Guard vessel cut the path of BRP Malapascua near Ayungin Shoal during a routine patrol, causing a near collision between the two vessels. A group of journalists on board BRP Malapascua documented the incident.
China’s embassy in Manila did not immediately respond to a request for comment and the issue was not mentioned at a regular briefing on Wednesday by the foreign ministry in Beijing.
China has previously said its coast guard vessels were conducting regular operations in what it said are Chinese waters.
China claims sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea via a “nine-dash line” on its maps that cuts into the exclusive economic zones of Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei and Indonesia.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration in 2016 said that line has no basis under international law.
DANGEROUS MANEUVERS
Tarriela, at the “Laging Handa” briefing, said the PCG vessels BRP Malabrigo and BRP Malapascua met with civilian boats at Sabina Shoal last Friday to escort them in delivering supplies to troops at the Ayungin Shoal.
About 11 nautical miles from Ayungin Shoal, two Chinese Coast Guard vessels – with bow number 5001 and 4203 – made dangerous maneuvers against the PCG vessels, coming as close as 100 yards, Tarriela said.
“To prevent a possible collision, what the two Philippine Coast Guard vessels did was to decrease speed while responding to radio challenges made by the two Chinese Coast Guard vessels,” he said.
Tarriela said the PCG vessels, in their challenges, questioned the presence of the two Coast Guard vessels in the area, noting that the Chinese were inside the Philippines’ 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
“They (Chinese) are not supposed to be in our exclusive economic zone and that they are carrying out dangerous maneuvers and they are violating the convention on prevention of collision regulations,” he said.
While the PCG ships were about nine nautical miles from Ayungin Shoal, Tarriela said, the PCG vessels saw six Chinese maritime militia vessels.
“The Chinese maritime militia, they also acted as if they were blocking the path (of the PCG vessels), so they were also blocking us,” he said.
‘NAVAL OPERATION’
Tarriela said the two boats that the PCG vessels escorted proceeded with their rotation and resupply (RORE) mission.
“That’s the objective of the Coast Guard vessels — to make sure that the RORE boats, despite the blocking of the Chinese government ships, will be able to reach their destination which is BRP Sierra Madre.”
Filipino troops occupying Ayungin Shoal are staying at BRP Sierra Madre which the military grounded at the shoal 1999 to serve as an outpost.
“For the Philippine Coast Guard, we call it a naval operation that we supported,” said Tarriela of the PCG mission last Friday.
During the incident, Tarriela said, the PCG vessels monitored a third China Coast Guard ship, with bow number 3103, near the Ayungin Shoal. He said Chinese ship came from Bajo de Masinloc, also known Scarborough Shoal, which has been under China’s control since a standoff in 2012.
Tarriela also said two Navy vessels of the People’s Liberation Army, with bow numbers 629 and 620, were also spotted about nine nautical miles from Ayungin Shoal.
“The naval operation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines was successful. The Philippine Coast Guard left Ayungin safely. There was no escalation of tension. The only thing that we experienced were the shadowing and blocking of the China Coast Guard vessels (and Chinese maritime militia),” said Tarriela.
Tarriela said the PCG will make to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea and to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
“Every time there are incidents like this, we make a formal report, we document everything that happened and then we submit it to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea,” he said.
Tarriela said the DFA will decide on what diplomatic action to take on the latest Chinese harassment case.
In a statement, Tarriela said the PCG vessels were “constantly followed, harassed and obstructed by the significantly larger Chinese Coast Guard vessels at a distance of approximately 100 yards.”
“These CCGVs (Chinese Coast Guard vessels) blatantly disregard the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea in their attempts to obstruct passage and discourage the PCG vessels from approaching Ayungin Shoal,” he said.
‘MARITIME STRIKE’
United States and Philippine armed forces are due to sink a decommissioned Philippine Navy ship off San Antonio, Zambales during a military exercise that is set to start today.
This is the second time the two sides will be conducting a sinking exercise. The first was in April when land, air and naval assets hit and sank the BRP Pangasinan, also a decommissioned Philippine Navy ship, during the conduct of “Balikatan” exercise also in San Antonio, Zambales.
The sinking of BRP Lake Caliraya, a replenishment tanker, is set for July 13. It will be part of this year’s Marine Aviation Support Activity (MASA) 23 which will formally open today during rites at the Philippine Marine headquarters in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.
BRP Lake Caliraya was decommissioned by the Philippine Navy in 2020 after using it for six years. It was originally owned by the Philippine National Oil Company which transferred the ship to the Navy in 2014.
Capt. Jarald Rea, Marines spokesman and MASA 23 public affairs officer, said 1,444 US personnel are taking part in the exercise which will run until June 21. On the Philippine side, 1,257 soldiers and 150 reservists will be involved.
Rea said seven ships are earmarked to participate on the Philippine side. He could not immediately say the number of US assets which will be involved in the exercise.
“We call it maritime strike,” said Rea of the training activity where they will sink BRP Lake Caliraya. The event will be held about 10 to 12 nautical miles west of a Navy facility in San Antonio, Zambales.
“US aircraft will be targeting, sinking BRP Lake Caliraya,” said Rea, adding the Americans will be using F-18 aircraft during the maritime strike.
The Philippine participation in the maritime strike, Rea said, will be limited to “planning and coordination.” He said there is no available Philippine aircraft for the maritime strike due to “prior commitment.”
“It’s focused on coastal defense, it’s counter-landing,” Rea said of the maritime strike.
MASA is traditionally a semi-annual training activity between the two sides but for this year, only one MASA exercise will be held. Rea could not immediately say the reason.
“There will only be one (MASA exercise for this year) unlike before. We’re going to have only one salvo, one exercise (this year),” he said.
Rea said the training objective is to improve territorial defense capabilities of the two armed forces.
Several other training events will be conducted under MASA 23, including live fire events, bilateral air assaults, airfield seizures, joint forward arming, and refueling.
“MASA 23 facilitates the collaborative development of aviation, ground, and logistics related capabilities. This exercise serves as a testament to the enduring partnership between the Philippines and the US, strengthening our ties and enhancing capabilities between our nations,” said US Brig. Gen. Robert Brodie, Commander of I Marine Expeditionary Force, in a statement.
Brodie said sharing knowledge and skills will “deepen our partnership and contribute to regional peace and stability, promoting a free, open and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.”
A Philippine Marine statement earlier said MASA 23 “hopes to further improve interoperability, allowing both forces to operate seamlessly and effectively in joint operations.”
“The focus is to align procedures, tactics, and communications to enhance combined capabilities and readiness, leading to a more synchronized response to the evolving security challenges,” the statement added. — With Reuters
