Philippines denies China repelled BFAR vessel

MANILA, Philippines — A claim by Chinese state media that Chinese coast guards had “repelled” a Filipino vessel in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal was “inaccurate,” according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).

Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesman for West Philippine Sea concerns, said the BRP Datu Sanday of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) remains on patrol in Panatag Shoal – also called Bajo de Masinloc – contrary to a post on X yesterday by Global Times that it had been driven away by a CCG vessel.

“The BFAR vessel, BRP Datu Sanday, continues to patrol the waters of Bajo de Masinloc. Currently, the BFAR vessel is actively ensuring the security of Filipino fishermen in that area,” Tarriela said.

According to the Global Times’ post on X earlier yesterday, the CCG “repelled, in accordance with the law, Ship 3002 of the Philippines’ Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources when the vessel illegally intruded into waters adjacent to China’s Huangyan Dao in the South China Sea.” Beijing calls Panatag Shoal Huangyan Dao.

In its own X account, Global Times described itself as “China’s national English language newspaper, under the People’s Daily.”