(UPDATE) They were at it again. For several hours on Saturday, the China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese Maritime Militia (CMM) ships water cannoned and subjected three Philippine vessels to “continuous illegal and aggressive actions” off Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
The three vessels — BRP Datu Sanday, BRP Datu Bankaw, and BRP Datu Tamblot — belonged to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) and were on a mission to provide oil subsidies and grocery packs to over 30 Filipino fishing vessels in the area.
National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) spokesman Jonathan Malaya stated that the “harassment” began around 9 a.m. as the BFAR ships approached Bajo de Masinloc, which was approximately 1.4 to 1.9 nautical miles away. The CCG ships utilized water cannons to “obstruct and prevent” the Philippine vessels from approaching the Filipino fishing boats.
In addition, the CCM vessels reportedly engaged in dangerous maneuvers and deployed what is believed to be a long-range acoustic device (LRAD) against the BFAR vessels. An LRAD, or sound cannon, is a specialized loudspeaker used for long-distance communication. It has been used for crowd control but is known to cause permanent hearing damage due to its high decibel capacity.
The sound pressure emitted by the LRAD caused severe, temporary discomfort and incapacitated some Filipino crew members. Malaya expressed concern over the use of water cannons, which resulted in “significant damage” to the communication and navigation equipment of the BFAR vessel Datu Tamblot, suggesting it was a targeted attack.
Malaya also denounced the deployment of Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) to disperse and drive away Filipino fishing vessels eagerly awaiting the distribution of fuel subsidies and food supplies from the BFAR ships.
“To prevent the distribution of humanitarian support is not only illegal but also inhumane. Moreover, Filipino fishermen have reported and documented the Chinese coast guard launching a small boat early this morning to illegally install a floating barrier at the southeast entrance of Bajo de Masinloc. The actions of the Chinese coast guard and Chinese Maritime Militia hindered the BFAR vessel from accessing the entrance of the shoal,” he said.
China, however, reiterated its “indisputable sovereignty” over Nanhai Zhudao (South China Sea islands), including Dongsha Qundao (Pratas Island), Xisha Qundao (Paracel Islands), Zhongsha Qundao (Macclesfield Bank), and Nansha Qundao (Spratly Islands), along with their adjacent waters. China claims sovereign rights and jurisdiction over relevant waters.
In a statement released on Saturday by the China Embassy in Manila, Chinese Ministry of Information spokesman Wang Wenbin said: “For some time, the Philippines has been sending people to Tiexian Jiao and other uninhabited islands and reefs of China’s Nansha Islands and sending aircraft and vessels to intrude into adjacent waters and airspace of China’s Nansha Islands and Huangyan Dao (Scarborough Shoal).”
Wang stated that the Philippine vessels’ actions “severely violate China’s sovereignty, endanger China’s security, go against the spirit of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DoC), and undermine peace and stability in the South China Sea.”
He further mentioned that China has made “serious démarches nearly 100 times and officially expressed our protest to the Philippines.”
The Chinese coast guard has reportedly issued warnings to the BFAR vessels to stay away from the area, claiming that Scarborough Shoal is Chinese territory. However, the BFAR vessels ignored the warnings and continued with their mission to provide aid to Filipino fishermen.
This recent incident adds to the ongoing tensions in the West Philippine Sea, where multiple countries have overlapping territorial claims. The actions of the China Coast Guard and Chinese Maritime Militia have raised concerns about the safety and well-being of Filipino fishermen and the freedom of navigation in the region.
The international community continues to monitor the situation and calls for peaceful resolutions and adherence to international maritime laws and conventions. The Philippines, along with other countries involved, seeks to assert its rights and protect its fishermen’s livelihoods in the West Philippine Sea.
Source: The Manila Times
