FACE-OFF Chinese coast guard personnel (front) aboard their rigid hull inflatable boat observe their Philippine counterparts as they conduct a survey in the waters of Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the Spratly Islands in the disputed South China Sea, in this photo taken on April 23. —AFP
The China Coast Guard (CCG) ship that blocked a Filipino patrol vessel and caused a frightening near-collision at Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal in the West Philippine Sea has not left the area since the April 23 incident, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Jay Tarriela said on Wednesday.
Based on the PCG’s monitoring, the CCG ship with bow No. 5201—along with another numbered 4202—remained at Ayungin, Tarriela said at the Laging Handa briefing.
According to Philippine officials’ accounts, CCG vessel 5201 performed “dangerous maneuvers” to block the PCG’s BRP Malapascua near the shoal where the rusting BRP Sierra Madre has been deliberately grounded since the 1990s to serve as a military outpost.
China has denied the allegation and instead blamed the near-collision on the PCG’s “premeditated and provocative action.”
But Tarriela said: “I think it is not correct to say that we are the one who provoked the China Coast Guard—it is actually their vessels who are provoking our vessels.”
He defended the PCG’s presence at Ayungin, calling it a routine patrol well within the country’s exclusive economic zone.Over 100 militia vessels
The PCG official also reported that over 100 Chinese maritime militia vessels remained at the Julian Felipe (Whitsun) Reef, also in the West Philippine Sea.
Manila has repeatedly protested the presence of Chinese maritime militia ships at Julian Felipe, near Palawan province.
Aside from dangerous maneuvers, the CCG continued to hurl “persistent radio challenges” at its Philippine counterpart. “They are calling the Philippine Coast Guard and saying we are the ones intruding in their waters and they are directing us to depart, to leave immediately in the maritime features that we are patrolling,” Tarriela added.
“We are not going to be threatened. Our presence will still be there, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine Coast Guard vessels and aircraft will continuously patrol our West Philippine Sea,” he added.