MANILA – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has deployed BRP Suluan, a 44-meter multi-role response vessel, to replace BRP Gabriela Silang in monitoring the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels operating illegally within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) off the coast of Zambales.
According to Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, the CCG “monster ship” 5901 was tracked 113 nautical miles from Zambales and 19 nautical miles from Bajo de Masinloc as of 9 p.m. Tuesday.
Another CCG vessel, 3304, was approximately 105 nautical miles from Zambales and 28 nautical miles from Bajo de Masinloc. It was later replaced by a smaller vessel, CCG-3103, which measures 77.7 meters in length and 10.4 meters in width.
Despite challenging sea conditions with wave heights of 2-3 meters, BRP Suluan maintained close surveillance of CCG-3103, successfully preventing it from advancing toward the Zambales coastline.
In a video released Tuesday evening, PCG personnel were seen radio-challenging CCG-3103, asserting that its presence violates the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award.
“CCG-3103 continues its unauthorized patrol off Zambales, currently 76 nautical miles from Pundaquit, Zambales,” Tarriela said.
He emphasized the PCG’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding the country’s maritime interests and upholding international law without escalating tensions.
The incident underscores the ongoing challenges the Philippines faces in asserting its sovereignty within its EEZ amid increasing activities by Chinese vessels.
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