Philippine Coast Guard drives Chinese vessel farther off Zambales waters

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has driven a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel farther from the Zambales coastline on Saturday morning, December 6, while maintaining its patrols over the tense waters of Bajo de Masinloc.

"Despite rough sea conditions with waves of 2–3 meters, BRP Cape San Agustin (MRRV-4408) skillfully maneuvered and successfully pushed the distance of Chinese Coast Guard vessel CCG-3303 further to approximately 135 nautical miles off the Zambales coastline," PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said on X.

A video he posted on X showed a crew member issuing a radio challenge to the Chinese ship as it lingered near the shoal.

Two other CCG vessels — CCG-3305 and CCG-3502 — were also detected on the Cape San Agustin’s radar, loitering and conducting "unlawful patrols" in the area, Tarriela said.

The Cape San Agustin replaced BRP Cabra, which returned to port after completing more than a week of continuous deployment. 

The rotation allowed the PCG to sustain an uninterrupted presence around the shoal, which has been the site of repeated tensions with China.

"The Philippine Coast Guard remains steadfast in asserting the Philippines’ sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction over the West Philippine Sea, in full accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Philippine Maritime Zones Act, and the final and binding 2016 Arbitral Award," Tarriela said.

According to Tarriela, PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan said personnel deployed to the West Philippine Sea face limited assets and harsh sea conditions but are committed to defending the country’s maritime interests.

He added that the PCG “will never back down,” saying that the service’s posture "fully aligned with the firm directives of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr."

Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal has been a potential flashpoint since Beijing seized it from Manila in 2012.

The fish-rich reef is about 240 kilometres west of the Philippines' main island of Luzon and nearly 900 kilometers from Hainan, the nearest major Chinese land mass.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, brushing off rival claims by the Philippines and other countries, and ignoring an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis.

To press its claims, Beijing deploys coast guard and other boats to patrol the waterway and has turned several reefs into artificial islands that it has militarized.