(MANILA BULLETIN) Senators condemned on Monday, April 7, the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) “dangerous maneuvers” on a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel in its latest act of aggression off the coast of Zambales on Sunday, April 6.
The PCG ship, BRP Cabra, has been shadowing a CCG vessel with bow number “3302” off the coast of Zambales. Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea (WPS), said BRP Cabra was subjected to “dangerous maneuvers” by CCG 3302 on April 6 while conducting maritime patrol at around 92 to 96 nautical miles off Capones Island in Zambales.
He said the 99-meter CCG vessel “engaged in reckless and dangerous maneuvers, displaying a blatant disregard for safety” as it “attempted [a] head-on collision” with the much smaller, 44-meter PCG vessel.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada, said the latest stunt, which once again put the lives of Filipino personnel at risk, displayed a blatant disregard for maritime safety and international norms.
“This reckless behavior is deeply concerning and warrants unequivocal condemnation,” he said in a statement.
“Our government should take decisive action by bringing this matter before the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The incident—an attempted head-on collision with the smaller BRP Cabra of the PCG—was a clear violation of the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), to which China is a signatory,” headded.
By addressing China’s unending reckless and dangerous maneuvers against Philippine maritime vessels, Estrada said that they can highlight the gravity of the situation which continues to threaten peace and security in the region.
“Paulit-ulit man ang kanilang panggigipit, hindi tayo mananawa na i-call out sila at ipaglaban ang ating karapatan sa ating nasasakupan, soberanya at kapakanan ng magigiting nating kababayan (No matter how many times they try to pressure us, we will not tire of calling them out and fighting for our rights, our territory, and the welfare of our brave fellow citizens),” he said.
Senate Majority Leader Francis “Tol” Tolentino also condemned the CCG’s actions, stating that not only did this aggressive maneuver endanger the lives of our brave maritime personnel, but also constitutes a blatant violation of international law and the Philippines’ sovereign rights.
“Panatag Shoal lies within our exclusive economic zone, as affirmed by the 2016 ruling of the Permanent Court of Arbitration and the provisions of the newly enacted law, i.e., the Philippine Maritime Zones Act (RA 12064), which China continues to disregard,” he said.
“As China continues to undermine our maritime peace and stability, I call on the international partners to hold China accountable for its blatant disregard for the rule of law,” he added.
Moreover, Tolentino said that the presence of a Chinese research ship near Batanes, close to Taiwan’s coast, represents a deeply troubling concern that need attention. This action underscores Beijing’s increasing assertiveness in disputed waters, posing serious challenges to regional security.
“It is in this regard that I fully support any plan to include Batanes in the upcoming Balikatan exercises with the United States. It sends an unequivocal message that the Philippines will not be intimidated. We must stand firm with our allies to protect our sovereignty and uphold international law,” he added.
Tarriela said research vessel “Zhong Shan Da Xue” was spotted off Batanes’ waters using a dark vessel detection program from the Canadian government. It measures an overall length of 114 meters and a tonnage of 2,300 tons.