Philippine: China damaged 2 PCG ships near Escoda Shoal

MANILA, Philippines — China Coast Guard ships rammed two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels after engaging them in dangerous maneuvers within minutes of each other around Escoda (Sabina) Shoal before dawn yesterday.

“These dangerous manuevers (by the Chinese) resulted in collisions, causing structural damage to both PCG vessels,” Jonathan Malaya, spokesman for the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS), said yesterday in a statement.

The BRP Bagacay and BRP Cape Engaño were damaged in the collision which took place at past 3 a.m. while the two vessels were en route to Patag and Lawak Islands to deliver supplies to PCG personnel.

The United States, through its ambassador, denounced the CCG’s latest act of aggression while the European Union expressed concern over the incident.

“The US stands with the Philippines in condemning the China Coast Guard’s dangerous maneuvers near Sabina Shoal that endangered lives and caused damage to two Coast GuardPH vessels,” US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson wrote on X.

“We are committed to supporting the rights of our #FriendsPartnersAllies under international law,” she said.

Also on X, EU Ambassador Luc Veron said, “We are concerned about today’s serious maritime incidents between the Chinese Coast Guard and the Philippine Coast Guard that has resulted in damages to two CoastGuardPH vessels.”

Reports said that while Cape Engaño was navigating the waters southeast of Escoda Shoal at around 3:24 a.m., a CCG ship with bow number 3104 emerged and engaged the Filipino vessel in threatening moves, which eventually resulted in a collision. The collision damaged the starboard beam of Cape Engaño, and punctured a hole approximately five inches in diameter on the deck.

The ramming also damaged the “engine exhaust on the starboard quarter, which has a diameter of 40 centimeters.”

Minutes later at 3:40 a.m., another CCG vessel with bow number 21551 rammed the Bagacay approximately 21.3 nautical miles southeast of Escoda Shoal. The ramming caused “minor structural damage” to the PCG ship.

“Despite these incidents, both PCG vessels remain committed to and shall proceed with their mission of delivering essential supplies to personnel stationed on Patag and Lawak Islands,” Malaya said. “The PCG stands firm in its responsibility to ensure the safety and security of our maritime domain while addressing any threats to our national interests.”

Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesman for the PCG in the NTF-WPS, pointed out that the latest act of aggression by the Chinese caused “the biggest structural damage on our vessels.”

He said experts would reassess the structural integrity of the two PCG ships.

Changing narrative

At an online forum, Malaya belied the CCG announcement that the Philippines “deliberately collided” with the Chinese ship, noting that China was again attempting to change the narrative.

“Allegedly they were conducting a law enforcement operation, controlling the movement of the two ships when in fact it was not (MMRV) 4410 or BRP Bacagay who rammed (CCGV) 21551, it was the other way around, our vessel, BRP Bagacay (was rammed) two times and the physical evidence proves this,” Malaya said.

He added that the PCG ships had members of the international media on board who witnessed the incident.

“We strongly condemn the aggressive actions of the China Coast Guard, which not only endanger the lives of PCG personnel but also violate international maritime laws, particularly the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS),” Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla said in reaction to the incident.

The “AFP, together with the PCG, remains committed to sustaining our presence in the West Philippine Sea in exercising our sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction,” she said.

“This incident only strengthens our resolve to enhance our presence and ensure that all operations are conducted in accordance with international law. We remain vigilant and prepared to address any challenges that may arise,” she stated.

Also citing COLREGs and UNCLOS, Philippine Navy spokesman for West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said the Navy “will continue to coordinate with the PCG to ensure the safety and security of our maritime domain.”

Retired Rear Admiral Rommel Jude Ong, a professor of the Ateneo School of Government, said the Chinese were apparently looking for other areas to control after the situation eased in Ayungin and Panatag Shoals.

“There was de-escalation in Ayungin, but now they’re active in Sabina. Last year it was Scarborough (Panatag). If there’s calming down in one place, they look for another,” he said.

Reckless, illegal

Speaker Martin Romualdez also condemned China’s “reckless and illegal maneuvers” that endangered lives.

“This brazen and unwarranted aggression resulted in dangerous collisions that could have led to tragic consequences. It is incumbent upon us, as a nation, to stand firm in defending our rights and protecting our maritime domain,” Romualdez said.

He said CCG’s “deliberate actions” are a “direct affront to our sovereignty and a blatant violation of international law, particularly the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which both the Philippines and China are signatories.”

“I call on the Chinese government to exercise restraint and cease all actions that endanger lives and violate international norms. The path forward must be one of dialogue and mutual respect, not confrontation and aggression. The safety and security of our region depend on it,” he added.

The Speaker said that despite the latest incident, the PCG vessels “will continue in their vital missions, including delivering supplies to our outposts in the West Philippine Sea, and we will not relent in our pursuit of protecting our national interests.”

“The Philippines will not be cowed by intimidation or coercion,” Romualdez declared, noting that such “recent events are not mere incidents but part of a troubling pattern of behavior that escalates tensions and undermines the rule of law in the West Philippine Sea.”

“The Philippines has consistently upheld its commitment to peace and stability in the region, exercising maximum restraint despite repeated provocations. I urge the international community to take cognizance of these dangerous actions that threaten not only regional stability but also the freedom of navigation in these critical waters,” he pointed out.

“We remain resolute in our commitment to uphold the dignity and sovereignty of the Republic of the Philippines. We will continue to work with our allies and partners to ensure that the rule of law prevails in the West Philippine Sea,” he maintained.

Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino said the incident “underscores the need to critically assess China’s sincerity and good faith in its participation in the Bilateral Consultative Mechanism with the Philippines.”

He branded CCG’s action as “unacceptable” and called on China to cease further hostile actions. “It is imperative that China respects the Philippines’ sovereign rights and adheres to international maritime law,” he said. — Cecille Suerte Felipe, Delon Porcalla