Latest news with #BRPDatuSanday
GMA Network
26-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
PCG sends 2 vessels to escort Atin Ito civilian mission to West PH Sea
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday said it has deployed two of its vessels to escort Atin Ito Coalition's civilian-led mission to the West Philippine Sea (WPS) from May 26 to 30. PCG spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela identified the two vessels as BRP Melchora Aquino and BRP Malapascua. 'Yesterday, BRP Melchora Aquino, ito ang isa sa pinakamalaking barko ng PCG, ay umalis na sa Puerto Princesa, Palawan patungo sa El Nido. This afternoon, it will be arriving at El Nido,' he said in a press briefing. (Yesterday, BRP Melchora Aquino, one of the largest ships of the PCG, departed Puerto Princesa, Palawan heading to El Nido. This afternoon, it will be arriving at El Nido.) 'And for the other vessel na sinabi ni [Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan] na ipapadala namin, BRP Malapascua is also prepositioned as well in El Nido, Palawan,' he added. (And for the other vessel that the Commandant said we will send, BRP Malapascua is also prepositioned as well in El Nido, Palawan.) Atin Ito, over the weekend, said its civilian-led mission to the WPS will continue despite the recent aggression of Chinese vessels in Sandy Cay. 'We proceed as planned, and we hope to conduct our musical event, ideally and safely within the vicinity of Pag asa Island. Ang dala natin ay kapayapaan sa pamamagitan ng musika, hindi lenguwahe ng giyera,' Atin Ito Coalition convenor Rafaela David said in a statement. (What we bring is peace through music, not the language of war.) A China Coast Guard (CCG) ship fired water cannon and sideswiped a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel in Pag-asa Cay 2 (Sandy Cay) in the WPS on May 22. BFAR said its BRP Datu Sanday and BRP Datu Pagbuaya were on a routine mission with a scientific team to collect sand samples in the area. 'At approximately 0913H, CCG vessel 21559 water cannoned and sideswiped the BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV 3002) twice, resulting in some damage to the latter's port bow and smokestack, and putting at risk lives of its civilian personnel onboard,' BFAR said. 'This incident marks the first time water cannons have been used against DA-BFAR research vessels in the area of the Pag-Asa Cays,' it added. The bureau pointed out that the incident happened within the territorial sea of the Philippines in the area of Pag-asa Island and Pag-asa Cay 2, which are part of the Kalayaan Island Group in the WPS. CCG said that it took "control measures" against the Philippine vessels which it said "illegally intruded" into waters near Subi Reef and Sandy Cay. Liu Dejun, the CCG spokesperson, claimed that one of the Philippine vessels "dangerously" approached and collided with their ship, and that responsibility "lies entirely" with the Philippine side. Tensions continue as Beijing claims almost all of the South China Sea, a conduit for more than $3 trillion of annual shipborne commerce, including parts claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei. Parts of the South China Sea that fall within Philippine territory have been renamed by the government as West Philippine Sea to reinforce the country's claim. The West Philippine Sea refers to the maritime areas on the western side of the Philippine archipelago including Luzon Sea and the waters around, within and adjacent to the Kalayaan Island Group and Bajo de Masinloc. In 2016, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had "no legal basis." China has refused to recognize the decision. —AOL, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
24-05-2025
- GMA Network
WPS research missions won't stop despite China aggression — BFAR
China Coast Guard vessel 21559 fires a water cannon and sideswipes a BFAR vessel in Pag-asa Cay 2 (Sandy Cay) in the West Philippine Sea on Thursday, May 22, 2025. Courtesy: Philippine Coast Guard video screen grab The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) remains committed to conduct marine research missions in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) despite continued aggression from the China Coast Guard (CCG). "Hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na binomba 'yung barko ng BFAR at alam niyo naman na hindi tayo nagpapatinag, tuloy pa rin naman ang pagsasagawa ng mandato ng ahensya sa kabila nga mga iresponsable, marahas, na aksyon ng Chinese Coast Guard sa West Philippine Sea," BFAR spokesperson Nazario Briguera said during the Saturday News Forum. (This is not the first time that a water cannon was fired at a BFAR vessel. This will not stop us from performing the agency's mandate despite the irresponsible, aggressive actions of the Chinese Coast Guard in the West Philippine Sea.) The BFAR official made the pronouncement after a CCG ship fired a water cannon and sideswiped the agency's vessels in Pag-asa Cay 2 (Sandy Cay). According to the Fisheries bureau, its ships BRP Datu Sanday and BRP Datu Pagbuaya were on a routine mission with a scientific team to collect sand samples in the area as part of a marine scientific research initiative. The BFAR said the Philippine scientific team was able to complete its operations in Pag-asa Cays 1, 2 and 3 despite the CCG and Chinese maritime militia vessels' "aggressive, dangerous, and illegal" actions. The bureau pointed out that the incident happened within the territorial sea of the Philippines in the area of Pag-asa Island and Pag-asa Cay 2, which are part of the Kalayaan Island Group in the WPS. "Hindi ito magiging dahilan para tumigil tayo na gawin ang misyon, mandato ng ahensya sa pakikipagtulungan ng ibang concerned agency like the Philippine Coast Guard… nasa karagatan tayo na sakop ng teritoryo ng Pilipinas, may karapatan tayo na magsagawa ng mga gawain, ayon sa mandato ng aming ahensya," Briguera said. (This will not be the reason for us to stop doing our mission, the mandate of the agency in cooperation with other concerned agencies like the Philippine Coast Guard… We are in the maritime zone that is part of Philippine territory. We have the right to conduct our activities in accordance with the mandate of our agency.) In a statement, the China Coast Guard said it took "control measures" against the Philippine vessels, which it said "illegally intruded" into waters near Subi Reef and Sandy Cay. CCG spokesperson Liu Dejun also claimed that one of the Philippine vessels "dangerously" approached and collided with a CCG ship, and that responsibility "lies entirely" with the Philippine side. Briguera dismissed the CCG's claim, adding that evidence will show who really is the aggressor in the particular incident. "Hindi ito ang unang pagkakataon na naglabas tayo ng ebidensya kung sino talaga kumabaga ang gumawa ng provocative action sa mga ganitong pagkakataon," he said. The BFAR official said that CCG's moves on its vessels "would entail thousands of pesos doon sa damage kasi itong mga barko natin hindi basta-basta 'yung mga materials ng mga barko natin… thousands, maybe millions of pesos." (... would entail thousands of pesos to repair the damage because our vessels are made of high-quality materials... the cost may be thousands, if not millions of pesos.) "Nasa ano naman 'yan, protocol na kapag nagkaroon ng damage ibabalik sa home court …ia-assess 'yung damage," Briguera said. (Whatever the case may be, whenever our vessels sustain damage, they must be brought back to home court... to assess the damage.) — VDV, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
23-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
NMC: China's aggression vs. PH research vessels is illegal interference
The National Maritime Council (NMC) condemned Friday the aggression of China's Coast Guard personnel against Philippine research vessels in the West Philippine Sea, calling China's actions an unlawful interference. The NMC referred to the May 21 incident where BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV 3002) and BRP Datu Pagbuaya (MMOV 3003) of the Department of Agriculture Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DA-BFAR) were attacked by a water cannon and sideswiped by Chinese vessels. At the time of the incident, the Philippine vessels were conducting routine maritime scientific research mission in the vicinity of Pag-asa Cay 2 (Sandy Cay) via routine sampling and data collection operations in support of national programs on food security, fisheries management and maritime environmental protection. They were reportedly shadowed, blocked, attacked by water cannon and sideswiped by the Chinese vessels, The incident occurred within the territorial sea of the Philippines in the area of Pag-asa Island and Pag-asa Cay 2. 'The Philippines has longstanding sovereignty and jurisdiction over Pag-asa Island and all of its cays, which form part of the Philippines' Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea. As such, these deliberate acts of interference and intimidation seriously violate the sovereignty of the Philippines and constitute a grave violation of international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the relevant domestic laws,' the NMC said. 'It is deeply regrettable that while the Philippines' lawful and routine maritime operations have not been provocative, these have been met by a pattern of coercive actions, unsafe conduct and blatant disinformation by Chinese maritime forces,' the NMC added. The NMC cited that while the Philippines remain committed to the peaceful settlement of disputes, it will continue to exercise its rights, protect its maritime interests, and uphold the mandates of the civilian agencies, like the DA- BFAR, in carrying out their responsibilities in its waters. 'Appropriate diplomatic actions, multilateral cooperation, and maritime capacity-building will be undertaken and sustained to ensure the safety and effectiveness of Philippine maritime operations,' the NMC added. Earlier, the China Coast Guard (CCG) said that it took 'control measures' against the Philippine vessels which it said 'illegally intruded' into waters near Subi Reef and Sandy Cay. CCG spokesperson Liu Dejun also claimed that one of the Philippine vessels 'dangerously' approached and collided with a CCG ship, and that responsibility 'lies entirely' with the Philippine side. It was on July 12, 2016 when the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines over China's claims in the South China Sea, saying that it had 'no legal basis.' The decision also ruled that Ayungin Shoal, the Spratly Islands, Panganiban or Mischief Reef, and Recto or Reed Bank are within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Further, the Hague court outlawed Chinese aggression in the Philippines' EEZ by stating that Scarborough Shoal, a rich fish resource, is a common fishing ground. China, however, has never recognized the ruling. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
Miami Herald
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Watch: Chinese Ship Blasts US Ally's Boat With Water Cannon
The Philippines on Thursday released footage of a confrontation between two government vessels and the Chinese coast guard in the South China Sea's hotly contested Spratly Islands. The Chinese cutter can be seen conducting close-quarter maneuvers that Manila said caused a collision, damaging the smaller Philippine vessel and putting its occupants' lives "at risk." Newsweek reached out to the Chinese Foreign Ministry and the Philippine Coast Guard for comment. The incident occurred Wednesday morning at Sandy Cay, a string of three sandbars near Thitu Island. Thitu is the only inhabited island in the Spratlys, home to around 250 residents, a modest military outpost, and the Philippines' only airstrip in the archipelago. China claims the island and most of the South China Sea as part of its territory, and has in recent years stepped up patrols to assert control over the waters. Confrontations between the neighbors' maritime forces have on rare occasions left Filipino sailors injured and brought renewed attention to the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty and the threshold for drawing Washington into a potential conflict with nuclear-armed Beijing. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources said in a statement Thursday that Philippine vessels were on a "routine" mission supporting a scientific team collecting sand samples near Sandy Cay. In its attempt to disrupt the activity, Chinese coast guard vessel 21559 "sideswiped" the bow of one of the Philippine ships, the BRP Datu Sanday, damaging its bow and smokestack and "putting at risk the lives of its civilian personnel onboard," the agency said. The Chinese ship also deployed its water cannon-reportedly the first such use against a Philippine fisheries vessel near Sandy Cay. Despite what the bureau described as "aggressive interference, dangerous maneuvers, and illegal acts" by China, the Philippine team completed its research mission. China's coast guard pushed back, accusing the U.S. ally of "illegally" intruding into the waters around Sandy Cay without permission. Coast guard personnel "carried out control measures in accordance with the law and boarded the reef to verify the situation," state media quoted the agency as saying. Sandy Cay, known in the Philippines as Pag-asa and in China as Tiexian Reef, was also the focus of controversy in late April. China's coast guard posted a photo of personnel holding their national flag in a symbolic assertion of Beijing's sovereignty claim. Manila countered shortly after by dispatching a team to the feature to hold a photo-op with their own flag. Liu Dejun, Chinese coast guard spokesperson, was quoted by state media Thursday: "The Philippine side also sent personnel to illegally land on Tiexian Jiao and carry out activities there. In response, CCG law enforcement personnel carried out control measures in accordance with the law and boarded the reef to verify the situation. On-site operations were conducted in a professional, and lawful manner." China will almost certainly continue pressing its claims within the Philippines' maritime zone despite a 2016 decision by an international arbitral court dismissing these claims. The Philippines is expected to continue challenging Chinese incursions, strengthen security ties with the U.S. and regional allies, and advance its ambitious military modernization program. Related Articles US and Ally's Joint Forces Send Warning to ChinaChina Research Ship 'Loitering' Near Undersea Cables: ReportPhotos Show US Coast Guard Ship Deployed to Contested Waters Near ChinaNATO Member's Warship Sends Message to China 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
GMA Network
22-05-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
US envoy calls latest China assault vs. PH vessel unlawful, reckless
Washington's top diplomat to Manila on Thursday condemned China's water cannon attack on a Filipino research vessel off Sandy Cay within the West Philippine Sea, calling it reckless and unlawful. Ambassador MaryKay Carlson said the China Coast Guard's "aggressive actions against a lawful Philippine civilian mission near Sandy Cay recklessly endangered lives and threaten regional stability." "We stand with our Philippine allies in support of international law and a free and open Indo-Pacific," Carlson said on X. The China Coast Guard's aggressive actions against a lawful ???????? civilian mission near Sandy Cay recklessly endangered lives and threaten regional stability. We stand with our ???????? allies in support of international law and a #FreeAndOpenIndoPacific. — Ambassador MaryKay L. Carlson (@USAmbPH) May 22, 2025 Philippine officials said the China Coast Guard (CCG) water cannoned and sideswiped the BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV 3002) twice, resulting in some damage to its port bow and smokestack, and putting at risk the lives of its civilian personnel onboard. It was the first time water cannons had been used against a Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) research vessel in the area of Sandy Cay, a strip of sandbars near the Philippine-occupied Pag-asa Island. Manila calls Sandy Cay as Pag-Asa Cay. BRP Datu Sanday and another vessel, BRP Datu Pagbuaya (MMOV 3003), were on a routine mission with a Filipino scientific team to collect sand samples in the area as part of a marine scientific research initiative. "Despite the aggressive interference, dangerous maneuvers, and illegal acts by the CCG and Chinese maritime militia vessels, the Philippine scientific team was able to complete its operations in Pag-Asa Cays 1, 2 and 3," a BFAR statement said. The Chinese Embassy in Manila has not yet responded to media requests for comment. China insists on ownership of almost 90 percent of the South China Sea, including areas that overlap with the Philippines' and other Asian nations' territorial waters, such as the West Philippine Sea. The disputes have led to a series of confrontations between Philippine and Chinese coast guards and navy forces in the resource-rich waters. Washington has repeatedly said that it stands by its 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty commitments with the Philippines if Filipinos come under an armed attack in the disputed waters. The MDT, a 1951 defense pact signed between Manila and Washington, binds the two allies to come to each other's aid from aggression and help defend the other party. Although not a party to the disputes, the US maintained that keeping the South China Sea – a major trade route - open and accessible is within its national interest.—LDF, GMA Integrated News
