Commodore Jay Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for WPS. INQUIRER.net file photo / Arnel Tacson
MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) did not block and was just tailing the Philippine research vessel BRP H Ventura and the Philippine Coast Guard’s (PCG) BRP Gabriela Silang en route to Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) last Sunday.
PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela made the clarification during a press conference on Monday after American maritime expert Ray Powell wrote in his X account that CCG intercepted the Philippine vessels 35 nautical miles from Luzon’s coastline.
“That’s actually not true, hindi hinarang ng CCG vessel (the CCG vessel did not block) BRP Gabriela Silang at ang BRP H Ventura,” Tarriela said.
“There is presence of a CCG vessel […] its just monitoring tailing PCG vessel and also the Namria (National Mapping and Resource Information Authority) vessel conducting hydrographic survey within the area,” he added.
According to the PCG official, the Philippine vessels have been conducting a hydrographic survey within Northwestern Luzon, which started last April 14 and will be completed on 21.
On Sunday Powell, who leads Project Myoushu (South China Sea) at the Gordian Knot Center for National Security Innovation at Stanford University, said China Coast Guard 5303 “blocked” the country’s vessels.
After which, the three vessels “barely moved this past eight hours” before resuming their journey to Bajo de Masinloc, while CCG followed them.
Last 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.