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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Chinese ship rams, shoots water cannon at BFAR vessel near Pag-asa Island – PCG

Chinese ship rams, shoots water cannon at BFAR vessel near Pag-asa Island – PCG

Published Oct 12, 2025 12:10 pm  |  Updated Oct 12, 2025 01:41 pm
A China Coast Guard ship fires a water cannon at BRP Datu Pagbuaya while the latter is in Pag-asa Island, West Philippine Sea on Oct. 12, 2025 during a humanitarian mission. (Photo: PCG)
A China Coast Guard ship fires a water cannon at BRP Datu Pagbuaya while the latter is in Pag-asa Island, West Philippine Sea on Oct. 12, 2025 during a humanitarian mission. (Photo: PCG)
A China Coast Guard (CCG) ship fired a water cannon and deliberately rammed a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel anchored in the territorial waters of Pag-asa (Thitu) Island in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Sunday morning, Oct. 12, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
PCG spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela said coast guard personnel aboard BRP Datu Pagbuaya and two other BFAR vessels were in the area to provide protection for Filipino fishermen as part of the “Kadiwa para sa Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda” (KBBM) initiative when multiple CCG and Chinese maritime militia vessels approached “dangerously close” and activated their water cannons around 8:15 a.m.
Tarriela said the situation escalated at 9:15 a.m. when a CCG vessel with bow number “21559” fired its water cannon directly at BRP Datu Pagbuaya, directly hitting it.
As if that wasn’t enough, the CCG-21559 also “deliberately rammed the stern” or back portion of BRP Datu Pagbuaya at 9:18 a.m., causing minor structural damage to the BFAR vessel, Tarriela added.
Despite the aggression, the PCG official said no crew of BRP Datu Pagbuaya was injured in the incident.
Meanwhile, PCG Commandant Adm. Ronnie Gil Gavan said the harassment faced by the BFAR and PCG won’t deter their resolve in protecting Filipino fishermen and maintaining presence in Pag-asa Island.
“The harassment we faced today only strengthens our resolve,” Gavan said.
“Filipino fisherfolk depend on these waters, and neither water cannons nor ramming will deter us from fulfilling our commitment to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to not surrender a square inch of our territory to any foreign power,” he added.
Pag-asa Island is part of the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) and is located about 480 kilometers or 300 miles west of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. It serves as the seat of the local government of Kalayaan and is one of the most strategic Philippine outposts in the WPS.

Related Tags

PCG BFAR China Coast Guard Chinese maritime militia Pag-asa Island West Philippine Sea WPS
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