CHINESE VESSELS WATER CANNON ATTACK, HARASS PH VESSELS – PCG


PCG reports latest aggressive actions including a water cannon attack by Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday (Photo courtesy of NTF-WPS/Jay Tarriela)
Five Chinese ships reportedly harassed Philippine vessels conducting a routine maritime patrol within Bajo de Masinloc in the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday morning according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels 5303, 3302, 3104 and People’s Liberation Army Navy vessels with bow numbers 500 and 571 conducted several aggressive actions.
The PCG and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) were conducting a routine maritime patrol near Bajo de Masinloc to support Filipino fishermen in the area when the "aggressive actions" happened.
Tarriela said at around 6 a.m., a Chinese Coast Guard fired a water cannon at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya navigational antennas. He said the ship was 16 nautical miles south of Bajo de Masinloc when the hostility happened.
After this, the same China ship "intentionally sideswiped the BRP Datu Pagbuaya" and launched a second water cannon attack on the same Philippine vessel. The PCG’s BRP Teresa Magbanua also "faced blocking, shadowing, and dangerous maneuvers from PLA Navy vessel 500 and CCG 503."
The BRP Cabra was also "subjected to reckless maneuvers by CCG 3104 at a distance of 300 yards."
Meanwhile, CCG spokesperson Liu Dejun said that the Philippine vessels “intruded” into Chinese territorial waters off Huangyan Dao and approached CCG ships conducting routine patrols adding that China’s control measures are in accordance with the law and regulations.
Despite this, Tarriela said that the PCG and BFAR reaffirmed their commitment “to protecting the rights and safety of our fishermen within our maritime jurisdiction.”
“We will continue to be vigilant in safeguarding our national interests in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.
Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Panatag and Scarborough Shoal, is located off Masinloc, Zambales, within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer
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