Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 9) – In another move that drew global condemnation, Chinese ships on Saturday repeatedly used water cannons against Philippine vessels which were on their way to deliver aid to Filipino fishermen near Bajo de Masinloc.
The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) condemned the “illegal and aggressive” actions carried out by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese maritime militia against civilian vessels of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) that are conducting the regular humanitarian and support mission.
It said BFAR ships Datu Sanday, Datu Bankaw, and Datu Tamblot were around 1.4 to 1.9 nautical miles from Bajo de Masinloc — also known as Scarborough Shoal — to deliver oil subsidy and grocery packs to over 30 Filipino fishing vessels when the attack happened.
China had used its water cannons at least eight times, the task force said.
Its maritime militia also reportedly engaged in dangerous maneuvers and deployed a \”Long-range Acoustic Device” against BFAR vessels, “causing severe temporary discomfort and incapacitation to some Filipino crew.\”
Meanwhile, the communication and navigation equipment of Datu Tamblot suffered significant damage, as it was directly and deliberately targeted, the NTF-WPS added.
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WATCH: Chinese vessels blast BFAR ships with a water cannon to prevent them from delivering supplies to Filipino fisherfolk near Bajo de Masinloc on Saturday. https://t.co/dIW46WYQ6a
📹 Philippine Coast Guard pic.twitter.com/2XHolpFA3s
— CNN Philippines (@cnnphilippines) December 9, 2023
