PH thanks China for aiding fisherman, but asks why warship was in West PH Sea

Metro Manila, Philippines – The Philippine Coast Guard thanked China for providing food and water to a Filipino fisherman in distress in the West Philippine Sea, but questioned why a Chinese naval warship was operating inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

In a statement, the PCG said it “acknowledge[s] and appreciate[s] the humanitarian gesture” of a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Luyang III-class guided-missile destroyer, hull number 174, which handed a bottle of water and three packs of biscuits to fisherman Larry Tumalis off the coast of Zambales.

The coast guard, however, stressed that the assistance “stands in notable contrast to the barbaric, illegal, coercive, aggressive, and deceptive actions often employed by the China Coast Guard against Filipino fishermen.”

The PCG said it was not informed in advance by the Chinese navy about the fisherman’s situation. 

“The Philippine Coast Guard received no prior information from the PLAN regarding the location or condition of the fisherman,” the statement said.

It also disputed Chinese claims that the fisherman had been adrift for three days. According to the PCG, Tumalis was safely tied to a floating fish-attracting device, locally known as a payao, while waiting for his mother boat.

“The claim that he had been adrift for three days is inaccurate,” the PCG said. It added that the service boat left on a fishing trip on Dec. 24 at about 3 p.m. and that the fisherman was located by the coast guard and the mother boat the following afternoon, less than 24 hours later.

The PCG further questioned the presence of a Chinese warship in the area, saying the destroyer had “no legitimate reason” to operate there. The reported location of the incident — about 71 nautical miles west of Silanguin Island — lies well within the Philippines’ EEZ, it said.

China, for its part, said the encounter was purely humanitarian. 

In a separate statement, Chinese authorities said that on Dec. 25, a Chinese navy ship “provided swift humanitarian assistance” to a distressed Philippine fishing vessel in the South China Sea, delivering food and water to a fisherman stranded due to engine failure and coordinating follow-up support with the Philippine Coast Guard.

The PCG said it hopes the incident is not used for propaganda, and instead should underscore Filipino fishermen’s rights to operate in the area, particularly around Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal.

“Filipino fishermen have full rights to fish in these waters,” the PCG said.