MANILA. Chinese forces have seized two Philippine rubber boats delivering supplies to a military outpost at Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed South China Sea, resulting in injuries to several Filipino navy personnel, according to Philippine security officials.
The confrontation on Monday, which lasted several hours, prompted the United States to reiterate its defense commitments to the Philippines, a treaty ally. The shoal, occupied by a small Philippine navy contingent aboard the grounded warship BRP Sierra Madre, has been the focal point of a longstanding territorial dispute closely monitored by China’s coast guard and navy.
The incident is feared to escalate tensions in the South China Sea, potentially drawing the U.S. and China into a larger conflict. Both nations blamed each other for the hostilities but provided limited details.
A Philippine task force overseeing territorial disputes condemned the “dangerous maneuvers, including ramming and towing,” which disrupted the effort to deliver food, water, and other supplies to the BRP Sierra Madre. Two security officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, described how Filipino navy personnel aboard two rubber boats were met by Chinese coast guard speedboats, leading to a scuffle and collisions. Eight Filipinos were injured, with one sailor losing a thumb.
Five of the injured were rescued by a nearby Philippine coast guard patrol ship. The two rubber boats, seized and later abandoned by Chinese personnel, were recovered by the Filipino navy. The boats were emptied of their contents, including rifles.
The Chinese coast guard presented a different version, claiming the Philippines “is entirely responsible for this.” They accused a Philippine vessel of dangerously approaching a Chinese vessel despite repeated warnings, resulting in a collision. China’s Foreign Ministry described their coast guard’s actions as “professional, restrained, reasonable and lawful.”
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell, in a call with Philippine counterpart Maria Theresa Lazaro, criticized China’s “dangerous actions” and reaffirmed the 1951 U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty, which obligates mutual defense in case of attacks on their forces in the South China Sea.
Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. condemned China’s “dangerous and reckless behavior,” vowing that the armed forces would protect the country’s territorial integrity. “It should now be clear to the international community that China’s actions are the true obstacles to peace and stability in the South China Sea,” Teodoro said.
This latest incident follows several confrontations near Second Thomas Shoal, located less than 200 nautical miles from the Philippine coast. The BRP Sierra Madre, grounded intentionally in 1999 to assert Philippine territorial claims, remains an actively commissioned military vessel, and any attack on it could be considered an act of war by the Philippines.
China’s aggressive stance in the South China Sea has led to increasing conflicts with neighboring countries, particularly the Philippines and Vietnam. A new Chinese law effective Saturday allows its coast guard to seize foreign ships in what it claims as its territorial waters and detain foreign crews for up to 60 days. The law includes provisions for using force against foreign vessels if necessary.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
