A CHINESE Coast Guard vessel came almost dangerously close to the Philippine Navy ship BRP Sierra Madre beached at the Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea Tuesday, February 21, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
Less than 10 soldiers are stationed at the rusting World War II ship, which was intentionally grounded to serve as a Philippine military outpost in the disputed islands.
The shoal is 25 miles from the Chinese-held Panganiban (Mischief) Reef and the oil-rich Recto (Reed) Bank.
No untoward incident happened except an exchange of radio challenges between the two coast guards.
Chinese CG got near BRP Sierra Madre
The PCG said it flew its multi-role fixed-wing aircraft, Cessna Caravan 2081, over Ayungin and Sabina shoals Tuesday. As it passed over the two shoals, the Chinese Coast Guard vessel with bow number 5304 kept sending them “inaudible radio challenges.”
“Over Ayungin, the PCG aircraft observed that CCG-5304 maintained a constant close distance of not more than one (1) nautical mile from BRP Sierra Madre,” Coast Guard said in a statement.
A nautical mile is equivalent to 1.852 kilometers. The safe distance between ships over 10,000 gross tonnes should be at least one nautical mile.
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Chinese militias swarm Ayungin, Sabina shoals
“The PCG aircraft also observed at least four (4) suspected Chinese maritime militia anchored inside Ayungin Shoal,” the PCG said.
In the nearby Sabina Shoal, at least 26 suspected Chinese maritime militias were also “anchored in and around the vicinity of the shoal,” it added.
The PCG aircraft likewise issued radio challenges against the Chinese Coast Guard, emphasizing that it conducts MDA flights within airspace over the Philippine EEZ. The PCG pilot directed CCG-5304 and Chinese militias to leave the shoals immediately.
PCG pilots also relayed their patrol data and observations to the soldiers onboard BRP Sierra Madre.
Flashing of military-grade laser
This incident came almost three weeks after another Chinese Coast Guard flashed a “military grade” laser light on one of the ships of the Philippine Coast Guard.
The PCG said the crew suffered temporary blindness after exposure to the laser attack on February 6.
The Department of Foreign Affairs has protested this incident. President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos also summoned the Chinese Ambassador to Manila to show his displeasure over the harassment.
“Despite diplomatic protests filed by the against Chinese incursions in Ayungin Shoal, the Chinese Coast Guard “continued to maintain its presence” within the Philippine exclusive economic zone, Coast Guard said.
The Philippine Coast Guard said they further confirmed the presence of the Chinese Coast Guard vessels from the Automatic Identification System (AIS) signatures.
“AIS data processed by the PCG indicated that while CCG 5205 – the vessel that harassed BRP Malapascua with weapons grade laser – had on February 8, 2023 departed the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG) en route to Hainan, China another CCG vessel, CCG-5304, continued to maintain presence in Ayungin Shoal to date,” it explained.
PCG commandant order
PCG Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu has directed to increase the maritime patrols of BRP Teresa Magbanua and PCG Cessna Caravan 2081 in the West Philippine Sea.
“This is in support of the President’s unequivocal message that we will not allow Philippine sovereignty and rights to be trampled upon within our territory and EEZ,” the PCG said.
