A Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ship on Friday used a water cannon on Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessels manned by Filipino fishermen near Panatag Shoal, according to Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Jay Tarriela.
In a statement, Tarriela said the incident occurred while four BFAR vessels — BRP Datu Tamblot, BRP Datu Taradapit, BRP Datu Bankaya, and BRP Datu Daya — were deployed to distribute fuel subsidies to local fishermen operating in the area.
“At approximately 10 a.m., BRP Datu Taradapit faced aggressive maneuvers from the…vessel CCG-4203, which approached within 600 yards and fired a water cannon from 15.6 nautical miles southwest of Panatag Shoal,” Tarriela said.
Despite hostile actions, including blocking attempts and a water cannon blast that briefly hit the port quarter of the BRP Datu Taradapit, the Filipino vessel was able to skillfully evade further harm by maneuvering away.
“At 10:30 a.m., CCG-3105 targeted BRP Datu Tamblot with a water cannon from a distance of 18.1 nautical miles southeast of the shoal, but the attack missed its mark,” Tarriela said.
He also noted that six CCG ships, two People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) warships, and several Chinese maritime militia vessels were observed in the vicinity during BFAR’s mission.
The PCG official believes the presence of these Chinese vessels was intended to disrupt BFAR’s efforts to deliver assistance and subsidies to Filipino fishermen, noting that all BFAR operations took place well within the Philippines’ Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).
“Filipino fishermen have sovereign rights to exploit resources in these waters, particularly for fishing. The presence of BFAR and PCG vessels is fully aligned with the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award,” Tarriela said.
Scarborough Shoal, which is also referred to as Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal, is a triangular coral reef formation that surrounds a lagoon and is famed for its rich marine resources.
Located 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales, it is considered within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, based on the 1982 UNCLOS.
