Chinese vessels again harassed Filipino fishermen near Bajo de Masinloc, with even Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) aircraft challenged during a patrol flight, a spokesperson said Wednesday.
PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Adm. Jay Tarriela said China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese maritime militia ships were monitored in the area during a maritime domain awareness (MDA) flight.
Tarriela said the PCG Cessna Caravan was radio-challenged by both the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLA-N) and the PLA Air Force while conducting a routine patrol.
According to Tarriela, such incidents are not new, although previous radio challenges were typically issued by naval ships rather than aircraft.
“Our pilots also highlight the fact that they do (China does) not have indisputable sovereignty, and emphasize the 2016 Arbitral Award, United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the Philippine Maritime Zones Act,” Tarriela said.
The PCG said it monitored at least 10 Chinese vessels in the area, including five CCG ships, three PLA-N warships, and two maritime militia vessels.
Tarriela added that buoys believed to have been deployed by China were also documented within and near Scarborough Shoal.
Filipino fishing boats were seen being shadowed and subjected to dangerous maneuvers by Chinese vessels in waters outside the shoal, a traditional fishing ground within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.
Among the vessels involved were CCG ships with bow numbers 21605, 3107, and 3103, along with a maritime militia vessel.
Tarriela said tensions escalated as Filipino fishermen moved closer to Bajo de Masinloc.
“At some point, when they got closer to Bajo de Masinloc at a distance of 7.8 nautical miles, the CCG deployed a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) to escort our Filipino fishermen,” he said.
While no water cannons were used, Tarriela described the encounters as dangerous.
“They were very close sa mga mangingisda. You can just imagine that these are wooden fishing boats and they have to deal with a 130-meter CCG vessel made of steel. It’s still dangerous,” he said.
In response, the PCG and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources deployed vessels to the area to ensure the safety of Filipino fishers and provide assistance.
Tarriela said BRP Cape San Agustin and BRP Cabra were dispatched by Wednesday afternoon.
He assured the continued presence of Philippine vessels in the West Philippine Sea despite rising fuel costs.
“Despite the oil price increase, we are not going to compromise our presence in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.