PCG: Chinese vessels continue illegal patrol off Zambales coast

MANILA, Philippines — The Chinese vessel off Zambales has employed a long-range acoustic device (LRAD), which produces high decibel levels of sound that can be painful and damaging to hearing, to harass the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessel guarding the area.

In a statement released late Saturday evening, the PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, said BRP Cabra continues its efforts to prevent China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels from approaching the coastline of Zambales.

READ: PH vessel prevents Chinese ship from nearing Zambales coast

“Notably, CCG-3103 has replaced CCG-3304 this afternoon to maintain the Chinese illegal patrol, and it appears to be escorted by CCG-5901 or the “Chinese monster ship. For the first time, CCG-3103 employed an LRAD to harass the Philippine Coast Guard vessel, attempting to deter proximity,” Tarriela disclosed.

“Currently, the China Coast Guard has been pushed back to a position between 90 and 95 nautical miles from the shore,” he also said.

Tarriela added that BRP Cabra conducted hourly radio challenges “to assert that the Chinese presence violates the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the 2016 Arbitral Award.”

“Despite the harassment and the intimidating presence of the Chinese monster ship, BRP Cabra remains committed to its mission. The Philippine Coast Guard continues to uphold its mandate of safeguarding the nation’s maritime jurisdiction while striving to avoid provocation and escalation,” the agency said.

Beijing’s continued aggression was based on its assertion of sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea, including most of the West Philippine Sea, as it continues to reject the 2016 arbitral ruling that effectively dismissed its claims and ruled in favor of Manila.