The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday denied China's claim that a Philippine vessel was expelled from waters near Pagasa Island in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on 12 October. 

In a press conference, PCG spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela asserted that Filipino vessels were legally operating well within the Philippines' territorial waters. 

“I don't think that they expelled the Philippine vessels. The mere fact that we never departed Pagasa right after the incidents, and how can they claim that they expelled, as I said, the presence of the Coast Guard, the Armed Forces of the Philippines, remains to be in Pagasa,” he told reporters. 

On Sunday afternoon, the China Coast Guard (CCG) released a video, alleging that it had "expelled" a Philippine vessel that had "illegally intruded" into what it described as waters adjacent to Tiexian Jiao, part of China’s so-called Nansha Qundao—internationally known as the Spratly Islands, which includes Pagasa Island.

PCG: We never left Pagasa

Tarriela rejected the CCG’s assertion, emphasizing that all maritime incidents reported recently occurred between 1.6 to 1.8 nautical miles off Pagasa Island, which lies well within the 12-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

Tarriela stressed the three Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels, Datu Pagbuaya, Bangkaw, and Daya, were conducting a mission to Escoda Shoal, supporting Filipino fishermen in the area.

“They are there distributing fuel subsidies and other supplies to sustain the fishing expedition, while also ensuring the safety of our fishermen,” he added, noting that BRP Melchora Aquino, a PCG vessel, is providing security support.

Increasing Chinese aggression

Tarriela raised concerns over what he described as escalating aggression by both the Chinese maritime militia and the CCG in Philippine waters.

“We always take the illegal and blatant violation of the People's Republic of China seriously and always concerning,” he said.

He also reiterated that these Chinese forces are operating under unified direction.

“The maritime militia and the CCG act as a tag team. When it comes to dangerous maneuvers, blocking, or threatening our fishermen, they’re clearly taking orders from the CCG.”

While Chinese vessels in the past focused their activities around reef structures such as Mischief Reef or areas they call “Pagasa case 1 to 4,” Tarriela noted that this recent incident marks the closest approach of CCG vessels to Pagasa Island in recent history.

“This time around, this is the closest that the Chinese Coast Guard  harassed and bullied BFAR vessel,” he said. 

He added that Chinese ships involved in these incidents often originate from Subi Reef and Mischief Reef, which are among China’s militarized artificial islands in the Spratly group.

Tarriela assured the public that the Philippine government—through the PCG, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, BFAR, Philippine National Police Maritime Group, and local government units—remains united in protecting the country's sovereignty and ensuring the safety of local communities in the West Philippine Sea.

“There are a huge number of Filipino fishermen who go there. We also have locals from Pagasa [Island]. And that has been the objective of BFAR vessels, why we go there, to protect them from bullying and also to ensure their safety and security,” he said.