Metro Manila, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) condemned the intimidation and obstruction by Chinese maritime forces during a civilian response operation involving a suspected case of dynamite fishing near Pag-asa Island in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) on Sunday, Oct. 4.
According to PCG spokesperson for the WPS Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, Philippine authorities received a report of suspected dynamite fishing near Sandy Cays 2 and 3, about three nautical miles west of Pag-asa Island.
Upon receiving the report from the Joint Task Unit Pag-asa, the Coast Guard District Kalayaan Island Group (CGD KIG) promptly mobilized a team with the Philippine Navy, including Marines, and the PNP Maritime Group.
The team deployed PCG High-Speed Response Boat HSRB-019, a Philippine Navy RHIB and rubber boat, and a PNP Maritime Group RHIB.
The team left the sheltered port of Pag-asa at 9:50 a.m. to investigate the alleged illegal fishing activity.
However, within minutes, China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels with bow numbers 5102 and 21581 moved into the Philippine personnel’s path, sounded their horns, and radio-challenged the law enforcement team conducting its duties within Philippine territorial waters.
At around 10 a.m., the team reached the fishing vessel about 500 meters east-southeast of Sandy Cay 2, but the small boats reportedly engaged in blasting had already returned to their mother boat.
Tarriela said the team ordered the vessel to stop and radioed it several times, but the vessel ignored the orders and sailed southwest toward Zamora (Subi) Reef.
As the team pursued the vessel, CCG 21581 shadowed and blocked the Philippine boats. At one point, it approached within about 10 yards of HSRB-019.
The tension heightened when a People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy helicopter with tail number 9 began circling over the Filipino personnel four times.
At 10:23 a.m., about 1.2 nautical miles east-southeast of Sandy Cay 5, the team stopped pursuing the vessel for safety reasons. All personnel returned safely to Pag-asa Island by 10:48 a.m.
Tarriela underscored that the team was conducting a legitimate, routine law enforcement operation against an illegal and destructive practice prohibited under the Philippine Fisheries Code and that the operation was not directed at any country.
He said the incident would be documented and referred to the Department of Foreign Affairs for appropriate action through existing channels.
“The China Coast Guard has no law enforcement authority in the territorial sea of Pag-asa Island. By obstructing Philippine authorities, the CCG did not protect the marine environment. It made it easier for a suspected violator to escape,” the spokesperson said.
He added that the deployment of a PLA Navy helicopter over a civilian law enforcement operation within Philippine territorial waters was “an unnecessary act of intimidation.”
“Any claim that the CCG ‘handled’ the situation or ‘expelled’ Philippine vessels is false,” Tarriela said.
The Chinese Embassy in Manila has yet to issue a statement on the incident.
