Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 30) — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it spotted foreign vessels and challenged Chinese ships within the country’s territorial waters during a recent maritime patrol.
In a statement on Thursday, the coast guard said the BRP Malapascua monitored at least 20 Chinese and Vietnamese vessels in Sabina Shoal on March 16 to 21.
It also encountered at least two China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels with bow numbers 5304 and 5305 near the shoal.
\”Multiple radio challenges were issued by the PCG vessel but no response was received,\” the coast guard said. \”Rigid-hull Inflatable Boats (RHIBs) were deployed to disperse the foreign-flagged vessels in and around the shoal.\”
In Pag-asa Island, the PCG said BRP Malapascua came up against a People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLAN) Type 056A Jiangdao II Class Missile Corvette with bow number 649 within 12 nautical miles of the island.
The PCG said its vessel issued multiple radio challenges while the PLAN ship responded with its own.
A CCG vessel 5201 also shadowed the BRP Malapascua at a distance of approximately 1,600 yards after the PCG vessel issued radio challenges near Ayungin Shoal.
\”The PCG vessel reported that during its encounter with CCGV 5201 at Ayungin Shoal, the former came as close as 1.2 NM (nautical miles) from the grounded Philippine Navy Vessel BRP Sierra Madre,\” the PCG said, referring to the ditched ship which serves as a military outpost.
The coast guard said the National Task Force on the West Philippine Sea received the post-operation report for the BRP Malapascua’s maritime patrol mission.
Earlier, the PCG said dozens of suspected Chinese maritime militia and coast guard ships were spotted in the vicinity of Pag-asa Island.
But on March 10, the PCG said there were fewer Chinese vessels near Pag-asa Island and Sabina Shoal but radio challenges continued. These two areas and the Ayungin Shoal are considered by Manila part of the Kalayaan Island Group in Palawan.
In February, a Chinese vessel pointed a military-grade laser at BRP Malapascua, prompting the country to file a diplomatic protest against Beijing.
The PCG also recently reported a “close distance maneuvering” of a CCG vessel 3305 towards PCG vessel BRP Malabrigo while it was on patrol on March 2 at vicinity waters off Bajo de Masinloc.
