PH survey vessels tailed, not blocked by China Coast Guard —NSC

The National Security Council (NSC) said on Monday that the China Coast Guard (CCG) ship did not block, but tailed Philippine vessels headed to Bajo de Masinloc.

"It's shadowing (BRP) Garbiela Silang and BRP Ventura, there was no standoff," NSC Undersecretary Jonathan Malaya said in a "24 Oras" report by Chino Gaston.

Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela confirmed that the CCG followed the Philippine vessels, but did not block them.

“There is a presence of a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel, that is China Coast Guard vessel 5303. But it did not block the Philippine ship,” he said in an earlier press conference.

"Ang CCG nagdedeploy sa other areas para ma-impose and nine dash line legitimacy - jinjustify nila ito with illegal presence - they do not hesitate to violate international law," Tarriela added in the 24 Oras report.

The Chinese Embassy has yet to respond when its comment was sought.

Tarriela said the CCG vessel was monitoring and tailing the PCG vessel BRP Gabriela Silang and the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA) ship BRP Hydrographer Ventura.

He said the hydrographic survey of the Philippines is still ongoing in northwestern Luzon.

GMA News Online has sought comment from NAMRIA through the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) about the incident but it has yet to provide a statement as of posting time.  

Earlier, it was reported that the CCG vessels supposedly blocked the two Philippine ships going to Bajo de Masinloc for a hydrographic survey.

NAMRIA had announced that they would be taking a hydrographic survey near the shoal, and soon after two CCG and 10 Chinese maritime militia ships were seen at the Bajo de Masinloc. —LDF, GMA Integrated News