Chinese Embassy belies claims ship seized off Bataan came from China

The Chinese Embassy in Manila on Wednesday refuted reports that the dredging ship that was recently seized by Philippine authorities in Bataan was from China.

“Initial investigation on the identity of MV Zhonhai 68 by relevant Chinese authorities has shown that the ship is not registered in China and not a Chinese ship,” the embassy said, days after the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) identified the ship as a “Chinese dredger type vessel.”

Also, the embassy said there was no Chinese national on the ship when it was apprehended by the joint operatives of the PCG and Bureau of Customs (BOC) due its illegal presence in waters off Orion Point on January 27.

According to the PCG, the ship’s two Cambodian crewmembers failed to present proper documents during the inspection.

“Information from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) shows the ship with an IMO number of 8692665, is under the flag of Sierra Leone,” the embassy said.

“The embassy hopes that any responsible remarks and reports should be based on facts, rather than speculation and misinformation. China is ready to render further assistance to the Philippine authorities concerned in its investigation, should there be such a need,” it added.

The House of Representatives' Makabayan bloc filed a resolution this week seeking an investigation on the proliferation of Chinese dredging ships illegally operating in Philippine waters. —GMA News