This 2016 photo taken by a drone camera shows part of Scarborough Shoal, also known as Panatag and Bajo de Masinloc, which is a traditional fishing ground of Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea that is being claimed by China. Photo by Rem Zamora/INQUIRER FILES
MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese Coast Guard tailed Philippine research vessel BRP H Ventura and the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Gabriela Silang en route to Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) on Sunday, according to an American maritime expert.
In a post on X, Ray Powell, who leads Project Myoushu (South China Sea) at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford University, said the CCG was “blocking” the path of the Philippine vessels 35 nautical miles from Luzon’s coastline.
READ: Uptick of Chinese vessels seen in Scarborough Shoal – AFP
“China Coast Guard 5303 is 35nm from the Philippine’s coast, blocking the path for Philippines’ BRP H Ventura & its escort BRP Gabriella Silang to get to their assigned hydrographic research area north of Scarborough Shoal,” Powell wrote.
“They have barely moved this past eight hours,” he added.
After stopping for eight hours, the Philippine vessels continued sailing to Bajo de Masinloc, while CCG followed them.
“All three ships now underway en route to the Philippines’ survey area north of Scarborough Shoal,” Powell said in a separate post.
On April 10, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) said that there is an uptick of CCG and Chinese maritime militia vessels (CMMV) monitored in Scarborough Shoal.
AFP said that last April 9, four CCG ships and 20 CMMVs were monitored within the vicinity of the shoal.