Malacañang Palace on Tuesday said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is concerned about the recent incident involving the Philippine Coast Guard and the Chinese Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea.
“Of course, concerned po ang ating Pangulo sa mga nangyayari. Pero mini-maintain pa rin po natin iyong level of professionalism na may kasama pong fearless spirit of patriotism (Our President is concerned about what is happening. But we still maintain that level of professionalism accompanied by a fearless spirit of patriotism),” Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a press briefing.
On Saturday, the PCG vessel BRP Cabra was deployed in the West Philippine Sea after monitoring a Chinese vessel, which was reportedly operating some 83 to 85 nautical miles off the coast of Palawig, Zambales.
On Sunday, the BRP Cabra nearly collided with the ship it was monitoring – the Chinese Coast Guard vessel 3302.
According to PCG Spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela, the 99-meter CCG vessel “has engaged in reckless and dangerous maneuvers, displaying a blatant disregard for safety.”
He added that the incident was averted due to the “seamanship skills and professionalism” of the BRP Cabra. This incident is one of the latest acts of aggression by the Chinese in Philippine waters.
The PCG is also monitoring a Chinese research vessel suspected of conducting surveys near Batanes. An aircraft has been deployed to monitor its movements.
The research vessel was identified as the Zhong Shan Da Xue, reportedly last located approximately 103.86 nautical miles off Itbayat, Batanes, as of 7 a.m. on 7 April.
The research vessel departed Guangdong province on 31 March and entered the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the north around 9 p.m. on 2 April, according to Tarriela.
“Since then, it has stayed within our EEZ while appearing to conduct maritime scientific research because of its consistent patterns of navigation,” Tarriela said.
He said the vessel had no permission to conduct marine research in the country’s EEZ.