Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 3) — The Chinese Embassy in Manila refuted reports claiming the vessel recently caught in Bataan was a Chinese dredger.
The embassy said the ship is not registered in China nor did it have any Chinese nationals on board.
“Initial investigation on the identity of MV Zhonhai 68 by relevant Chinese authorities has shown that the ship is not registered in China and not a Chinese ship,” said the embassy in a statement on Wednesday.
On Jan. 28, the Coast Guard reported a “Chinese dredger-type vessel” was spotted near Orion Point, Bataan with two Cambodians on board who failed to present proper documents. Upon verification with Customs, the Coast Guard said the vessel was granted departure clearance a year ago in Aparri, Cagayan, which makes its presence in the area “illegal and unauthorized.”
The embassy pointed out that the ship was under the Sierra Leone flag. It is a business practice, however, to register a ship in a country other than that of the ship’s owner. Called “flag of convenience“, the practice is often done to reduce operational costs.
Following the incident, Malacanang had instructed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to identify the purpose of Chinese dredging vessels operating in the country. Lawmakers at the House of Representatives also filed a resolution calling for a probe into Chinese dredging ships allegedly conducting illegal activities in Philippine territory.
