China Coast Guard water cannons, rams BFAR vessel in Bajo de Masinloc

The China Coast Guard (CCG) on Wednesday launched water cannon attacks and rammed a vessel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) that was on a maritime patrol in the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) in the West Philippine Sea.

The first of two water cannon attacks by CCG 3302 were aimed "directly at the vessel's navigational antennas while it was located 16 nautical miles south of Bajo de Masinloc," said Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesman of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) for the West Philippine Sea.

The BFAR and the PCG had been conducting a routine maritime patrol in the area when they "encountered aggressive actions" from China Coast Guard vessels, Tarriela said.

At around 6:30 a.m., CCG 3302 fired a water cannon at BFAR vessel BRP Datu Pagbuaya (MMOV 3003).

The Chinese ship then "intentionally sideswiped the BRP Datu Pagbuaya on its starboard side," following up with a second water cannon attack at 6:55 a.m.

Tarriela added that PCG vessels "faced blocking, shadowing, and dangerous maneuvers" from People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy vessel 500 and CCG 503. One of the harassed PCG vessels was the BRP Teresa Magbanua, which was stationed for about five months in the contested Escoda Shoal amid the presence of Chinese vessels.

The BRP Cabra, a patrol vessel of the PCG, was likewise "subjected to reckless maneuvers" by another China Coast Guard ship at a distance of 300 yards, Tarriela said.

According to Tarriela, a total of four CCG vessels and two PLA Navy ships were involved in the incident.

The Chinese Embassy in Manila, for its part, said Philippine vessels had attempted to intrude into Chinese territorial waters off Huangyan Dao, China's name for Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal.

It claimed that CCG forces had acted lawfully to control the situation.

Liu Dejun, a spokesperson for the CCG, said “four Philippine coast guard and official vessels attempted to enter China's territorial waters off Huangyan Dao and approached Chinese law enforcement patrol ships in a dangerous manner.”

GMA News Online reached out to the Presidential Communications Office for comment but it yet to reply as of posting time.

China's submission to UN

Wednesday's incident came after Beijing had submitted to the United Nations (UN) a statement on the baselines of its territorial sea which included a chart showing the Scarborough Shoal as part of its territorial waters.

Maritime expert Jay Batongbacal earlier said that China's submission to the UN has no effect on the legitimate legal interests and position of the Philippines on Bajo de Masinloc.

UNCLOS' Article 134 provides that any filing of charts or declarations of territory would not affect the rights given to a coastal state under Article 76.

Article 76 states that the Philippines is the coastal state that has a right on the continental shelf where Scarborough Shoal is located.

PH maritime laws

Last month, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. on Friday signed two landmark laws that aim to define the Philippines' maritime zones as well as the archipelagic sea laws.

China promptly summoned the Philippines' ambassador to express its objection to two new laws, asserting maritime rights and sovereignty over disputed areas of the South China Sea, Beijing's foreign ministry said.

Over the weekend, the CCG also conducted dangerous maneuvers against PCG vessels in the vicinity of Escoda Shoal as the Filipino 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.

Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."

China has not recognized the decision. — VDV, GMA Integrated News