The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday evening reported that its vessel, BRP Cabra, challenged the China Coast Guard (CCG) ship CCG-3302 to prevent it from moving closer to the Philippine coast.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said the Chinese vessel was detected approaching within 83 to 85 nautical miles off the coast of Palauig, Zambales.

"The 44-meter BRP Cabra boldly confronted the larger 99-meter CCG vessel, asserting its rightful presence within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)," Tarriela said.

During the radio challenge, the PCG emphasized that the CCG's patrol was illegal and violated the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award.

"The PCG remains resolute in its patriotic duty to patrol the Exclusive Economic Zone, aiming to prevent the normalization of illegal Chinese activities while documenting the CCG's illegal patrols in the Philippines' West Philippine Sea," Tarriela said.

"The PCG's professionalism highlights its commitment to the President's directive of non-escalation and non-provocation," he added.