Eleven Chinese vessels performed dangerous maneuvers to stop two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ships from entering Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal for a mission in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) last week, it was confirmed Wednesday, July 5.
A China Coast Guard vessel with bow number "4203" appears to block BRP Malabrigo while en route to Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea on June 30, 2023. (Photo: PCG via Commo. Jay Tarriela)
BRP Malabrigo (MRRV-4402) and BRP Malapascua (MRRV-4403) were sent to Sabina (Escoda) Shoal, around 70 kilometers from Ayungin Shoal, to support the Philippine Navy’s (PN) rotation and resupply (ro-re) mission for the troops assigned at BRP Sierra Madre, a navy ship purposely grounded on Ayungin to serve as a military detachment.
However, as the two PCG ships were approaching Ayungin Shoal on June 30, they spotted two China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels with bow numbers “5201” and “4203” which sailed dangerously close to them. Ayungin Shoal is located at approximately 194 km from Palawan.
“They came close to our two Philippine Coast Guard vessels with an approximate distance of 100 yards. At the same time, our two coast guard vessels decreased their speed and responded to radio challenges to prevent a possible collision,” Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said in a public briefing.
A third CCG vessel with bow number “3103” arrived shortly as the PCG vessels were nearing Ayungin Shoal, Tarriela noted.
“What is interesting about CCG 3103 is that it came from Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal). It travelled from Bajo de Masinloc to Ayungin Shoal to [reinforce] the two China Coast Guard vessels,” he noted.
Still, BRP Malabrigo and BRP Malapascua issued their own radio challenges to assert the Philippines’ sovereign right in the area and to make their way towards Ayungin Shoal, from which six Chinese maritime militia vessels awaited them around nine nautical miles from the shoal.
As if these were not enough for the PCG ships, two more People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy vessels with bow numbers “629” and “620” were also monitored in the area.
‘Shadowed and blocked’
Despite this, the ro-re mission was a success as the Philippine Navy and PCG successfully brought new personnel and supplies such as food, water, and personal items to the troops at BRP Sierra Madre.
But Tarriela clarified news reports and social media posts that the PCG ships were chased by the Chinese vessels.
“Let me correct the statement that we were chased, we were not. Actually, the Philippine Coast Guard vessels are being blocked to enter, to come close to Ayungin Shoal because we are supporting the naval operation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines during that time,” he said.
Tarriela emphasized that CCG vessels and maritime militia “are not supposed to be within our exclusive economic zone” since Ayungin Shoal is located within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
“They are not supposed to be within our exclusive economic zone, and they are carrying dangerous maneuvers, and they are violating the Convention on the Prevention of Collision Regulation,” he said.
This was not the first time that Chinese vessels tried to stop PCG ships from entering Ayungin Shoal, a move seen by security experts to force Filipino troops to go hungry and abandon their post.
Last February 6, a CCG vessel with bow number “5205” pointed a blinding laser light towards personnel of BRP Malapascua while supporting a ro-re mission of the Philippine Navy in Ayungin Shoal. This caused temporary blindness among several Filipino coast guard personnel.
Back in August 2022, CCG vessel 5205 also prevented BRP Teresa Magbanua from coming close to Ayungin Shoal at a distance of 2.95 nautical miles to deliver supplies to the troops of BRP Sierra Madre.
Their personnel removed the cover of the CCG ship’s 70 mm naval armament and formed a blockade together with two Chinese maritime militias and CCG 5102 to prevent Philippine ships from reaching the Filipino soldiers onboard the grounded vessel.
"Despite of the danger that we face every time we patrol the West Philippine Sea, no matter how big the ships of China Coast Guard area, the Philippine Coast Guard will continue to conduct patrols to protect and ensure the safety of our people and fishermen," Tarriela said.