PH Coast Guard drives Chinese vessel away from Panatag Shoal

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday successfully pushed a Chinese Coast Guard vessel farther from Philippine waters near Panatag Shoal, maintaining an uninterrupted presence in the contested area.

According to the PCG, the 44-meter multi-role response vessel BRP Cape San Agustin (MRRV-4408) first relieved BRP Cabra, which had been on patrol for over a week. 

The Cape San Agustin then maneuvered in rough seas, with waves of 2 to 3 meters high, to move the Chinese Coast Guard vessel with bow number 3303 to an area roughly 250 kilometers from the Zambales coast.

The PCG released videos showing BRP Cape San Agustin issuing radio challenges to the Chinese vessel CCG-3303, asking the ship to “cease and desist from conducting illegal maritime patrols within the Philippines’ EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone).”

Other Chinese Coast Guard ships, with bow numbers 3305 and 3502, were also monitored loitering and conducting unlawful patrols in the immediate vicinity of the shoal.

Panatag Shoal, locally known as Bajo de Masinloc, is located some 220 kilometers away from Luzon in the West Philippine Sea, well within the country’s EEZ.

Much of that area remains occupied by Beijing after a 2012 standoff with the Philippine Navy.

PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said in a statement that the patrol demonstrates the Philippines’ commitment to defending its maritime rights under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Philippine Maritime Zones Act and the 2016 arbitral ruling on the West Philippine Sea.

“Even with limited assets and challenging sea conditions, our personnel remain resolute and will never back down in defending national maritime interests,” Gavan said. /apl