A China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel shadowed and dangerously blocked the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ship BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) on Sunday, approximately 170 kilometers off the coast of Zambales, intensifying tensions in the West Philippine Sea.
An exclusive report aired by GMA Integrated News on “24 Oras Weekend” featured video footage of the incident. It showed CCG vessel 3302 repeatedly maneuvering close to the BRP Cabra despite the PCG’s radio challenges.
At one alarming point, the Chinese ship came within 16 meters of the Cabra, raising fears of a potential collision.
“Dahil sa seamanship skills ng ating mga [Thanks to the seamanship skills of our] coast guard sailors, we were able to prevent them from delivering another possible collision,” said PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela. “You can just imagine how much it would impact dito sa ating mas maliit na [the larger ship would have had on our smaller] coast guard vessel,” he added.
Video footage also showed the Chinese ship sailing alongside the BRP Cabra, closely tailing the Philippine vessel in a clear attempt to obstruct its patrol route.
Tarriela emphasized that this is not an isolated case. “This is not the first time that the China Coast Guard has attempted such maneuvers against a PCG vessel,” he said, adding that the PCG’s continued patrols are meant to prevent China from claiming historical presence in the area.
In a separate incident on Sunday, a China Coast Guard ship was also seen following the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel BRP Datu Bankaw. Maritime security expert Raymond Powell reported that a 134-meter CCG vessel shadowed the BFAR ship up to 100 nautical miles from the Busuanga Islands in Palawan.
Meanwhile, a Chinese research vessel was also detected in waters north of Batanes, shortly after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the Philippines. During his visit, Hegseth announced upcoming advanced bilateral training exercises between U.S. and Philippine forces to be held in Batanes, a strategic location in the northernmost part of the country.
GMA Integrated News has reached out to the Chinese Embassy in Manila for comment regarding the recent encounters.
Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez said China’s increasing assertiveness in the West Philippine Sea is a key reason behind the country’s push to modernize its armed forces. He noted that the Philippines is working on a deal to acquire fighter jets, which could be delivered by 2027 if the agreement moves forward.
These developments come amid heightened geopolitical tensions in the region, as the Philippines continues to assert its sovereignty over its exclusive economic zone while maintaining diplomatic channels with concerned parties.
Carlo Juancho FuntanillaFrontend Developer, WordPress, Shopify
Contributing Editor
AMA ACLC San Pablo
- Carlo Juancho Funtanillahttps://tutubi.ph/author/carlojpf/
- Carlo Juancho Funtanillahttps://tutubi.ph/author/carlojpf/
- Carlo Juancho Funtanillahttps://tutubi.ph/author/carlojpf/
- Carlo Juancho Funtanillahttps://tutubi.ph/author/carlojpf/
