Latest China harassment near Pag-asa Island closest to PH archipelago — PCG

The recent harassment by China near Pag-asa Island is the closest such incident to the Philippine archipelago as it occurred not only within the country’s exclusive economic zone – but also within its territorial waters, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said on Monday.

According to Jonathan Andal’s Monday report on “24 Oras,” the harassment occurred on Sunday at 1.8 nautical miles or 3 kilometers away from Pag-asa Island – or the distance from the Luneta Park in Manila to the Cultural Center of the Philippines in Pasay City.

“This is the closest that the Chinese Coast Guard has harassed and bullied a BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources) vessel. It only has a distance of 1.6 to 1.8 nautical miles,” said Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for West Philippine Sea.

“Yes, very close to Pag-asa island. They were sometimes focusing only on the Pag-asa cays,” he added.

When asked if this is a violation of Philippine sovereignty, Tarriela said, “Yes, because we have territorial sea dito sa areas na to (in this area). It’s always been very concerning because we are dealing with the lives of the crew of the BFAR or even the Philippine Coast Guard personnel.”

More than 20 Chinese vessels approached and surrounded Pag-asa Island. Five of the vessels were China Coast Guard ships and15 were Chinese maritime militia, with one warship and helicopter of the Chinese Liberation Army.

Six BFAR vessels were then delivering aid to fishermen in the waters off Pag-asa Island. Three BFAR vessels were hit by the water cannons of the Chinese ships.

These are the BRP Datu Bankaw, BRP Datu Sanday, and the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, which was the most damaged among the three as its stern was also rammed by a CCG ship.

“Well, yesterday we didn’t have a Coast Guard vessel in Pag-asa. We have BRP Melchor Aquino patrolling the vicinity of Escoda Shoal yesterday. And then we also have two other 44-meter vessels in other areas. One in Recto Bank and the other one is in Union Bank. When that incident happened, the Coast Guard was not there. But I would like to reiterate that these BFAR vessels, there are Coast Guard crew on board,” Tarriela said.

In a statement, the National Maritime Council said the Philippines will file a diplomatic protest regarding the incident.

Meanwhile, the China Coast Guard said they drove the Philippine vessels away for their alleged illegal entry into the waters near the iron reefs of what they refer to as Nansha Islands, or the Spratlys Islands.

“I don’t think that they expelled the Philippine vessels. The mere fact that we never departed Pag-asa right after the incidents. And how can they claim that they expelled? As I said, the presence of the Coast Guard, the Armed Forces of the Philippines remains to be in Pag-asa,” Tarriela said.

Countries like Australia, Japan, United Kingdom, and New Zealand and the European Union expressed support for the Philippines.

Meanwhile, maritime security expert Ray Powell urged American senators to go to Pag-asa Island to show their support to the Philippines. — Mariel Celine Serquiña/JMA, GMA Integrated News