PCG continues radio challenge to China Coast Guard vessel off Zambales coast

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Friday continued its radio challenge against a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel off the coast of Zambales in the West Philippine Sea.

The PCG on Saturday said CCG vessel 3304 was illegally sailing at approximately 70-80 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales. During the radio challenge, the PCG warned the vessel that it was within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

In a statement, the PCG said its vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) remains deployed in the vicinity in compliance with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive "aimed at thwarting the normalization and legitimization of the Chinese Coast Guard’s illegal actions, which may lead to assertions of control over these waters."

"Moreover, the continued vigilance of BRP Teresa Magbanua serves as a proactive measure to ensure that Filipino fishermen can carry out their activities without the threat of harassment or intimidation," the PCG said.

"The deployment of the PCG’s white ship underscores a commitment to monitoring and maintaining a visible presence to deter illegal activities by the Chinese Coast Guard while adhering to principles of restraint and non-provocation," the PCG added.

On Saturday, January 4, the PCG confirmed the presence of the so-called ''monster ship'' of the CCG (vessel 5901) some 54 nautical miles away from Capones Island, Zambales.

The PCG then dispatched BRP Cabra, a helicopter, and the PCG Caravan, which confirmed at 5 p.m. that the Chinese vessel was in the area.

It also challenged the presence of the CCG by asserting that the vessel was inside the Philippines' EEZ.

On Wednesday, January 8, the PCG said the monster ship departed from the coastline of Zambales. However, the PCG said it has tracked another CCG vessel (3103) heading directly to the previous location of the monster ship.

On Thursday, January 9, the PCG said the BRP Teresa Magbanua issued radio challenges to CCG vessels that were spotted off the Zambales coast. The PCG noted that CCG vessel 3103 was replaced by vessel 3304 in the afternoon.

According to a ''24 Oras Weekend'' report by Nico Waje on Saturday, the PCG saw two possible reasons as to why the CCG had been present near Zambales. 

“They wanted to break the confidence ng ating mga kababayan (of our countrymen). Dahil alam naman natin kapag mas maraming sibilyan na mangingisdang Pilipino na pumupunta dito sa West Philippine Sea, (We all know that if there are more civilian fishermen that will head over to the West Philippine Sea,) it is actually a headache for the Chinese government,” PCG spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela.

“They wanted to make it appear na parang (as if) this is the new normal. This is an altered status quo. So, our role now on the part of the Philippine Coast Guard is to challenge this kind of behavior of China para hindi sila magwagi sa narrative nila (so that they will not win the narrative),” he added.

Maritime law expert Dr. Jay Batongbacal also called CCG’s actions a “show.”

“Sabi nga noong iba, nananadya ‘yun. (Like the others are saying, this is on purpose.) That is the way by which China is trying to make it appear that they are exercising authority and jurisdiction in that area. So palabas ‘yun, (So this is a show.)” he said.

He added that the PCG was making enough efforts to reject and protest China’s actions.

“So as long as they’re not doing anything more than just sailing through, then the most we can do is simply watch and wait. And if they make it appear, if they make a statement or undertake an activity that tries to show that they’re exercising jurisdiction, then our response will be that we do not recognize any such exercises of jurisdiction,” he added.

Batongbacal recommended that the Philippines continue conducting joint defense exercises with allied countries such as Japan, Australia, and South Korea.

China claims "indisputable sovereignty" over the entire waters of the South China Sea, where undersea gas deposits have been discovered in several areas. Its claims overlap with the offshore territories claimed by Asian neighbors surrounding the South China Sea.

In 2016, the Philippines scored a victory  against China in a landmark ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration. The PCA ruled that "there was no legal basis for China to claim historic rights to resources within the sea areas falling within the nine-dash line."

"[Although] two Chinese navigators and fishermen, as well as those of other States, had historically made use of the islands in the South China Sea, there was no evidence that China had historically exercised exclusive control over the waters or  their  resources," it added.

China has repeatedly said the PCA ruling is "illegal" and "invalid".

Marcos has stood his ground that the West Philippine Sea belongs to the Filipinos amid China's aggression in the resource-rich region.

West Philippine Sea is the name the Philippines uses to refer to portions of the South China Sea that falls within its exclusive economic zone and its jurisdiction. —with a report from Jiselle Anne Casucian/KG/VBL, GMA Integrated News