Courtesy: PCG
A CHINESE Coast Guard ship made a dangerous close-range maneuver toward the BRP Datu Dumangsil before hitting the Philippine vessel with a water cannon for more than two minutes during a humanitarian mission at Bajo de Masinloc on the morning of July 23.
According to Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela, the Filipino craft was conducting a scheduled run to deliver fuel and food supplies to local fishermen when the hostile interception took place. Despite the aggressive action, no crew members were hurt, and both vessels involved safely completed their deliveries.
The incident comes just three days after a violent confrontation at Ayungin Shoal, where Chinese personnel struck a Philippine Navy sailor on the head with a wooden baton while the ship was on a resupply run.
This latest episode underscores an escalating pattern of risky maneuvers and physical harassment directed at Philippine vessels operating within areas the country considers part of its sovereign rights and exclusive economic zone. Such actions endanger lives, disrupt livelihoods, and undermine efforts to maintain peaceful coexistence in the West Philippine Sea.
Authorities reiterated that the mission was legitimate and purely civilian in nature, aimed at supporting communities dependent on the waters around Bajo de Masinloc.
The repeated use of force and intimidation against Philippine ships will be met with appropriate diplomatic protest, officials said, as the country remains steadfast in defending its maritime entitlements while seeking to avoid further escalation.
metrosundaily
