China Coast Guard conducted dangerous maneuvers vs. PCG in WPS

The China Coast Guard (CCG) conducted dangerous maneuvers against Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) twice on Saturday night.

The incidents occurred before 8 p.m. and past 10 p.m. on Nov. 30 in the vicinity of Escoda Shoal as the PCG vessels BRP Cape Engaño and BRP Melchora Aquino were on their way to Rozul Reef to assist Filipino fishermen who were earlier harassed by CCG.

The fishermen were then on their way to Rozul Reef (Iroquois Reef) in the West Philippine Sea to fish. Rozul Reef lies within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

According to PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela, a Chinese helicopter hovered near the Filipino fishermen while they were out fishing.

"It hovered very low, just about 15 feet above, and it was doing this towards our Filipino fishermen. We believe this might be a form of harassment aimed at driving our fishermen away," he said.

A video of this encounter was sent to the PCG, which then responded immediately to support the fishermen especially amid the rough seas and heavy rain.

Accompanied by GMA Integrated News and other Philippine media, the PCG then dispatched the BRP Cape Engaño to reach the fishermen at Rozul Reef. Another sizable PCG vessel, the BRP Melchora Aquino, followed close behind.

CCG vessel sighted

As our journey continued, a CCG vessel appeared at around 5 p.m. on Saturday. According to PCG reports, the Chinese vessel closely monitored the BRP Cape Engaño throughout this encounter.

By around 8 p.m., the BRP Cape Engaño was halted again when the CCG vessel reappeared.

“To attempt a stop in the middle of the night with another vessel is very risky; it could lead to collisions and terrible accidents. Thankfully, our Philippine Coast Guard’s commanding officers are very skilled and professional in maritime operations, which helped us avoid any collisions with the Chinese Coast Guard," Tarriela said.

As dawn broke over the WPS on Sunday, more CCG vessels were sighted 23 nautical miles northeast of Escoda Shoal.

Eventually, the Filipino fishermen, who had been fishing in the area for two weeks, were located.

On December 1, amid ongoing interference from the CCG, the PCG vessel finally reached Iroquois Reef.

The PCG team was determined to check on the Filipino fishermen and extend support, but they faced consistent harassment from Chinese vessels.

After a brief period, several Filipino fishermen were moved to a rigid hull inflatable boat (RHIB) operated by the PCG. During this time, the CCG maintained a close watch on both the PCG and the fishermen.

The situation grew more challenging due to severe weather, which had already caused the sinking of two fishing boats belonging to the Filipino crew. The fishermen said they received no help from the CCG during this critical time.

“It’s truly disappointing and saddening that our Filipino fishermen revealed that even with the presence of the China Coast Guard Vessel 5205 and the fact they flew an aircraft here, they still monitored our fishermen but did not offer assistance as our two boats sank,” said Tarriela.

Laser lights

Fisherman Chox Toledo shared that rather than help, the CCG trained their laser lights on them.

“It was a laser; that green light hurt my eyes as we were traveling. We were all together in our boats until one ended up having an accident,” he said.

Another fisherman, Arnel Marcellana, recounted a direct threat made by the CCG to use water cannons against them.

“When they block our path, I can’t understand what they say; they just told us, ‘Back to the Philippines,’” he said.

Despite ongoing threats and harassment from the CCG, the fishermen managed to catch some fish in an area identified as a low tide elevation within the Philippine continental shelf. However, they noted that their catch had decreased by 60 to 70% compared to previous years, notably from 2003 to 2015 when they were able to fish more freely.

Fisherman Jaypee Barbadia expressed worry over the constant monitoring by the Chinese vessels. “I wonder how they always know where we are,” he said, noting that the Chinese navy appeared to track their movements even before they left Palawan.

On their return trip, the PCG took the chance to offer the fishermen assistance and food packs for Christmas, but during the journey back, they still faced the relentless presence of the CCG vessel.

November 28

The PCG said that on November 28, the agency also received video footage and photographs showing the supposed harassment of Filipino fishing vessels by a People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy helicopter of China in Rozul Reef.

PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan ordered the deployment of vessels 9702 and 4411 to ensure the safety and security of Filipino fishers in the area.

“This deployment also aims to provide evidence of the active presence of Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea,” PCG spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a statement.

“Despite the potential harassment from the Chinese Coast Guard, their confidence in fishing in the WPS has significantly increased due to the firm stance and commitment of the President not to surrender a square inch of our territory to any foreign power,” he added.

According to Tarriela, the PCG is firm to safeguarding the rights of Filipino fishermen and to supporting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s commitment to uphold the country’s sovereignty, sovereignty rights, and maritime jurisdiction in the WPS. — with Joviland Rita/KG/RSJ, GMA Integrated News