This is a developing story.
MANILA, Philippines – A China Coast Guard (CCG) ship on Sunday, August 25, rammed a Philippine government ship some 10 nautical miles away from Escoda or Sabina Shoal in the West Philippine Sea, according to the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS).
The NTF-WPS said that the BRP Datu Sanday, a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel, “encountered aggressive and dangerous maneuvers” from eight Chinese maritime vessels, including ramming, blasting horns, and deploying water cannons against the Philippine ship.
These resulted in engine failure and early termination of the humanitarian operation.
“The actions of PRC vessels were aimed at obstructing the BFAR vessel’s humanitarian mission to resupply Filipino fishermen with diesel, food, and medical supplies,” the task force said in a statement.
“These unprofessional, aggressive, and illegal actions posed serious risks to the safety of the Filipino crew and the fishermen they were meant to serve,” it added.
The incident was first reported by Philippine media that were aboard the government ship.
In a series of posts on X (Twitter), Philippine Daily Inquirer reporter Nestor Corrales posted video of a CCG ship colliding with the BRP Datu Sanday, a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel.
Corrales said the incident happened at around 2:11 pm on Sunday. In other X posts, the Inquirer reporter said at least six CCG ships “simultaneously” used water cannons against the BFAR ship, which was en route to Escoda Shoal.
The Sunday incident occurs just a week after two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ships sustained “structural damage” after being hit by CCG ships over 20 nautical miles away from Escoda Shoal. The two PCG ships the week prior were on a resupply mission to Lawak and Patag Islands and were only passing through the vicinity of Escoda Shoal when the incident happened.
The BRP Datu Sanday was heading to Escoda Shoal, according to reporter on board the ship.
No other details were made available by the PCG, which mans the BFAR’s bigger vessels, as of posting.
Escoda or Sabina Shoal is a low tide elevation in the West Philippine Sea. It the closest feature to Ayungin or Second Thomas Shoal, where the makeshift military outpost BRP Sierra Madre has been aground since 1999.
A PCG vessel, the BRP Teresa Magbanua, has been staying in Escoda Shoal since April 2024 over concerns that China was eyeing reclamation activities in the feature.
The CCG, according to reports by China state-run media, took “control measures” because the Philippine ship “illegally” entered the shoal, which China calls Xianbin Reef.
Philippine authorities also countered claims by Chinese-linked media that Filipino personnel fell overboard and were rescued by the CCG, saying that this “fake news and misinformation serves as a clear illustration of the PRC’s willingness to distort the truth and engage in disinformation to bolster its public image.”
China claims almost all of the South China Sea, including areas that are within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. Features like Ayungin and Escoda are within the Philippines’ 200 nautical mile EEZ. Beijing does not recognize the 2016 Arbitral Ruling, which affirmed Manila’s EEZ. – Rappler.com