Latest news with #BRPCabra
GMA Network
16-07-2025
- GMA Network
Chinese warships approach PH-US exercise off Zambales
The Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessels BRP Cabra and BRP Suluan sail alongside the guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur during a joint exercise off the Zambales as seen from the Philippine Navy frigate BRP Miguel Malvar on Wednesday, July 16, 2025. GMA INTEGRATED NEWS Chinese warships approached and issued a radio challenge to Philippine vessels that were conducting joint exercises with the United States Navy off the Zambales coast. According to Chino Gaston's Wednesday report on '24 Oras,' the ships that took part in the exercise were the BRP Miguel Malvar, the Philippine Navy's newest frigate purchased from South Korea, the US Navy guided missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur and Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) patrol vessels BRP Cabra and BRP Suluan. Meanwhile, the People Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) Jiangkai class frigate with bow number 551 and Jiangdao Corvette with bow number 646 were observed shadowing the joint exercise. The Chinese warships were accompanied by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel with bow number 4203. According to the Philippine Navy, the Chinese warships approached BRP Malvar to a distance of three to four nautical miles, but these later came nearer to the smaller PCG vessels. The Chinese also conducted a radio challenge but did not repeat it. ''Yung activity natin with the Philippine Coast Guard is very important because every time na mag-operate ang Coast Guard natin, we always support 'yong law enforcement ng Coast Guard,' said Lieutenant Commander Bryan Magura, the operations officer of the Malvar. (Our activity with the PCG is very important because we always support the Coast Guard every time they conduct their law enforcement activities.) 'So we are here to show that the coordination and interoperability with the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard, to include 'yung partner nations natin, is enhanced and improved (to include our partner nations in enhancing and improving our operations),' he added. The division tactics exercise began at around 1 p.m. where the training focused on various sailing formations. In all maneuvers, the two PCG ships were in the middle of the formation. From the Malvar's flight deck, its Agusta Westland helicopter took off to observe from the sky and take photos. Two PCG vessels participated in the multilateral cooperative activity along with the Philippine and US navies in preparation for future missions where they need to be accompanied by warships. This is the eighth maritime multilateral cooperative activity (MCA) the Philippines has had with allied countries. According to the Armed Forces of the Philippines, these military exercises will continue, along with adding more Philippine Navy ships and more allied countries that support the Philippines' defense of its exclusive economic zone — Mariel Celine Serquiña/RF, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
09-06-2025
- GMA Network
PCG boosts maritime, aerial patrols vs floating shabu in Pangasinan waters
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Monday it has intensified its maritime patrol operations and aerial drone surveillance over Pangasinan waters after one ton of shabu was found in the area. 'Upon the directive of President Ferdinand R Marcos Jr., the PCG deployed BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) and two high-speed response boats to intensify maritime patrol operations in the vicinity waters,' the PCG said. 'Aerial drone surveillance was also conducted to locate and recover more sacks of contraband believed to still be adrift,' it added. From June 5 to 8, several sacks of shabu worth billions have been recovered from Pangasinan waters. Sacks of illegal drugs were also recovered from the waters of Zambales and Ilocos Sur. Coast Guard District Northwestern Luzon commander Captain Mark Larsen Mariano expressed full commitment to the joint operation with the ant-illegal drug agents, police, local governments, and fishing communities. 'We will not halt our recovery efforts until every sack is secured. The Ilocos region must not be allowed to become a corridor for transnational crimes. We will not let these criminal elements further endanger the lives of fellow Filipinos,' Mariano said. — Joviland Rita/RSJ, GMA Integrated News
Miami Herald
03-06-2025
- Business
- Miami Herald
Video Shows US Ally Confronting China in Contested Waters
The Philippine coast guard has released footage of a confrontation with its Chinese counterpart within the Southeast Asian country's maritime zone. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Foreign Ministry for comment via email. China claims the majority of the South China Sea as its territory, including areas that fall within the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan. A Hague-based arbitral tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines in 2016 and rejected China's claims. Beijing has called the decision illegitimate. The further expansion of Chinese maritime forces into the Philippine EEZ has been met with pushback under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The resulting dramatic clashes have raised the specter of the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty, which could draw Washington into a conflict with the East Asian power. While much of the neighbors' dispute has centered on uninhabited reefs and sandbanks, since the start of the year China's coast guard has maintained a steady presence closer to Luzon, the major Philippine island that's home to the capital, Manila. On Saturday, the Philippine coast guard deployed the 144-foot BRP Cabra to challenge the much larger CCG 3105-a Chinese coast guard cutter operating about 86 miles from Luzon's Zambales province and well within the country's 230-mile-wide EEZ, a spokesperson for the Philippine coast guard wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday. Video shows the Philippine crew broadcasting radio warnings and ordering their Chinese counterpart to leave the EEZ, citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which both countries are signatories. Later that day, the Cabra responded to a distress call from a fishing boat with engine trouble. The cutter towed the stricken vessel back to Zambales' Subic Port. In Singapore, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with his Japanese, Australian and Philippine counterparts over the weekend on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue defense summit. The meetings were held amid doubts following U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff broadsides and remarks questioning the utility of Washington's security commitments in the region. The officials voiced concern over China's growing assertiveness and stressed the importance of maintaining the status quo. Jay Tarriela, a Philippine coast guard spokesperson, wrote on X: "The actions of BRP Cabra and its crew reflect the commitment of the [Philippine coast guard] to uphold the directive of the president, reinforcing the Philippines' rights in the West Philippine Sea." Lin Jian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said during Tuesday's regular news conference: "The U.S., together with Japan, Australia, and the Philippines, brazenly spread the false accusation of 'China threat' at the Shangri-La Dialogue and sought to use the East China Sea issue and the South China Sea issue to sow discord and incite confrontation between regional countries. ... We will not flinch in defending China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests." China and the Philippines are firmly entrenched in their positions, and a diplomatic breakthrough appears unlikely anytime soon. Speaking with Newsweek at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro criticized China's actions, saying the country suffered from a "trust deficit." He said Manila was working toward building an "international coalition to increase deterrence." Related Articles US Ally Sends Strong Warning to ChinaMap Tracks Chinese Aircraft Carrier Near US AlliesChina Warns US Ally With Show of ForceUS Simulates Missile Strikes on Warships at China Choke Point 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
03-06-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Video Shows US Ally Confronting China in Contested Waters
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Philippine coast guard has released footage of a confrontation with its Chinese counterpart within the Southeast Asian country's maritime zone. Newsweek has contacted the Chinese Foreign Ministry for comment via email. Why It Matters China claims the majority of the South China Sea as its territory, including areas that fall within the exclusive economic zones (EEZs) of the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Taiwan. A Hague-based arbitral tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines in 2016 and rejected China's claims. Beijing has called the decision illegitimate. The further expansion of Chinese maritime forces into the Philippine EEZ has been met with pushback under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. The resulting dramatic clashes have raised the specter of the U.S.-Philippine Mutual Defense Treaty, which could draw Washington into a conflict with the East Asian power. A Chinese coast guard ship seen from the Port of Guangzhou in China's southern Guangdong province on February 22. A Chinese coast guard ship seen from the Port of Guangzhou in China's southern Guangdong province on February 22. Pedro Pardo/AFP via Getty Images What To Know While much of the neighbors' dispute has centered on uninhabited reefs and sandbanks, since the start of the year China's coast guard has maintained a steady presence closer to Luzon, the major Philippine island that's home to the capital, Manila. On Saturday, the Philippine coast guard deployed the 144-foot BRP Cabra to challenge the much larger CCG 3105—a Chinese coast guard cutter operating about 86 miles from Luzon's Zambales province and well within the country's 230-mile-wide EEZ, a spokesperson for the Philippine coast guard wrote on X, formerly Twitter, on Sunday. Video shows the Philippine crew broadcasting radio warnings and ordering their Chinese counterpart to leave the EEZ, citing the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, to which both countries are signatories. Later that day, the Cabra responded to a distress call from a fishing boat with engine trouble. The cutter towed the stricken vessel back to Zambales' Subic Port. In Singapore, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth met with his Japanese, Australian and Philippine counterparts over the weekend on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue defense summit. The meetings were held amid doubts following U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff broadsides and remarks questioning the utility of Washington's security commitments in the region. The officials voiced concern over China's growing assertiveness and stressed the importance of maintaining the status quo. What People Are Saying Jay Tarriela, a Philippine coast guard spokesperson, wrote on X: "The actions of BRP Cabra and its crew reflect the commitment of the [Philippine coast guard] to uphold the directive of the president, reinforcing the Philippines' rights in the West Philippine Sea." Lin Jian, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said during Tuesday's regular news conference: "The U.S., together with Japan, Australia, and the Philippines, brazenly spread the false accusation of 'China threat' at the Shangri-La Dialogue and sought to use the East China Sea issue and the South China Sea issue to sow discord and incite confrontation between regional countries. ... We will not flinch in defending China's territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests." What Happens Next China and the Philippines are firmly entrenched in their positions, and a diplomatic breakthrough appears unlikely anytime soon. Speaking with Newsweek at the Shangri-La Dialogue on Sunday, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro criticized China's actions, saying the country suffered from a "trust deficit." He said Manila was working toward building an "international coalition to increase deterrence."
GMA Network
02-06-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
PCG deploys another vessel to monitor China Coast Guard in Zambales
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has deployed another vessel to monitor the presence of China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels off the coast of Zambales, its spokesperson said Monday. 'Right now, BRP Bagacay is patrolling the waters within the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc and to monitor whether there will be another CCG vessel that will attempt to go near the coastline of Zambales this afternoon,' PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a Zoom briefing. Over the weekend, Tarriela said a CCG vessel was located five to 18 nautical miles from Palauig Point off the coast of Zambales, which is within the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). He said the vessel has gone further away from Zambales. 'I would like to believe na ito ngayon ay bumalik na sa vicinity ng Bajo de Masinloc. I would say it has the distance of somewhere between 115 to 120 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales,' Tarriela said. (I would like to believe that it has now returned to the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc. I would say it is at a distance of somewhere between 115 to 120 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales.) The PCG previously directed the Multi Role Response Vessel (MRRV-4409) BRP Cabra to challenge the presence of the CCG vessel. However, the BRP Cabra left after receiving a distress call from a Filipino fishing boat. Tarriela said that the CCG never responded to the BRP Cabra's challenge. He said that the CCG would often excuse its actions as the conduct of a legitimate maritime law enforcement. 'Kaya we are challenging them. We are reminding them that they are inside our own EEZ and that they do not have legitimate authority to conduct such illegal patrol,' Tarriela said. 'Kung hindi sila sumagot, I don't think we can hold them accountable for not responding. But definitely, we are challenging their illegal presence dito sa ating EEZ and that they never informed us of their intention why they are there and what is the purpose of their presence,' he added. In 2013, the Philippines challenged China over its claims on the West Philippine Sea, and in 2016 Manila scored a victory in a landmark ruling by an international tribunal that invalidated Beijing's claims. China has refused to acknowledge the Permanent Court of Arbitration's 2016 ruling that invalidated its nine-dash line. The Philippines has already filed over 150 diplomatic protests against China regarding the territorial dispute under the administration of President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. —LDF, GMA Integrated News
