WATCH: BRP Teresa Magbanua pushes Chinese ship away from Zambales coast

BRP Teresa Magbanua was able to push a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel away from the coast of Zambales, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
In a statement Thursday evening, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippines Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said that from 85-90 nautical miles (NM), CCG 3304 moved to 100-105 NM from the Zambales coast.
“BRP Teresa Magbanua, has achieved a significant milestone by successfully pushing the CCG vessel CCG-3304 further away from the coast of Zambales, now estimated to be at a distance of 100-105 nautical miles,” Tarriela said.
According to Tarriela, CCG 3304 asserted that it is patrolling within China's maritime jurisdiction and refused to recognize the 2016 Arbitral Award that favored the Philippines.
BRP Teresa Magbanua was able to push a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel away from the coast of Zambales on Thursday, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG). ????: PCG @gmanews pic.twitter.com/kjmFIc9qPw
— Joviland Rita (@jovilandxrita) January 31, 2025
“The BRP Teresa Magbanua has persistently emphasized that the Chinese vessel lacks legal authority and is, in fact, violating the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 arbitral award,” he said.
Aside from CCG 3304, the PCG has been monitoring three more Chinese vessels in the area, including the “monster ship”:
- CCG-5901 or the monster ship - 103.63 NM away from the Zambales coast
- CCG-3502 - 115.22 NM away
- CCG-3103 - 134.10 NM away
“The PCG remains unwavering in its commitment to uphold President Bongbong Marcos' directives, diligently working to prevent CCG from establishing an illegal presence and engaging in coercive actions in the West Philippine Sea, all while ensuring that tensions do not escalate,” Tarriela said.
Tensions continue as 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, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis."
China refused to recognize the decision.
—VAL, GMA Integrated News