Chinese ‘fishing boat’ uses water cannons against Filipino fishers

MANILA, Philippines — A Chinese maritime militia ship — “pretending” to be a fishing boat — blasted water cannons against a Filipino fishing boat in Escoda (Sabina) Shoal over the weekend.

Commodore Jay Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, bared these new details Tuesday on the Escoda Shoal incident on Friday, Dec. 12, which left three fisherfolk injured and two boats severely damaged.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Tarriela mentioned the incident in passing as he quote-tweeted the post of Chinese Embassy in the United States echoing Beijing’s version of events as stated by foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun.

READ: More Chinese militia ships spotted around Ayungin Shoal – PH Navy

“Here is your Chinese Maritime Militia pretending to be a civilian fishing vessel also using water cannon against a Filipino wooden fishing boat as they escape the China Coast Guard vessels dangerous harassment last weekend,” Tarriela said, addressing in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

During Monday’s regular briefing, Guo said that “organized and orchestrated” Filipino fishers wielded knives against China Coast Guard (CCG).

Tarriela also disputed this, noting that “claims that Filipino fishermen were carrying knives are contradicted by evidence showing CCG vessels firing water cannons at close range.”

This is not the first time that Chinese militia ships used water cannon against Filipino boats.

During October mission in Pagasa (Thitu) Island, militia ship Qiong Sansha Yu activated its water cannon near Bureau of Fishers and Aquatic Resources’ BRP Datu Bankaw, albeit without hitting it directly.

But this time, the video footage provided by Tarriela showed that the militia ship’s water cannon was  hitting the Filipino wooden boat directly.

Beijing’s maritime militia, despite appearing as civilian fishing vessels, is actually paramilitary whose main tasks are gathering intelligence and conducting surveillance and even engaging in direct aggressions against vessels in South China Sea, maritime monitor SeaLight has said.

According to SeaLight, militia ships were based in Hainan Island and has been active in the South China Sea since at least 1974.

Chinese militia ships have been observed swarming a number of features in the West Philippine Sea, which is in line with Beijing’s sweeping claim in the South China Sea that was effectively invalidated by the 2016 international tribunal ruling stemming from a case filed by Manila.

Escoda Shoal is a low-tide elevation that is well within the country’s exclusive economic zone, approximately 75-95 nautical miles from Palawan. 

China claims “indisputable sovereignty” over Escoda Shoal, but the atoll is over 600 nautical miles — or up to 1,200 kilometers — from the country’s nearest landmass. /mr