By Junex Doronio

MANILA — This is what friends are for.

Being an old reliable ally, the United States assumed the role of “Big Brother” as it called on China on Wednesday (06 March 2024) to halt its provocative actions against the Philippines in the wake of the reported collision between the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels and the much larger China Coast Guard (CCG) ships.

On Tuesday (05 March 2024), the US took notice that China Coast Guard vessels caused two collisions with Philippine boats and water cannoned one of them, leaving four crew injured during a resupply mission in waters around Ayungin Shoal.

With this latest harassment within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the US State Department condemned China’s actions, which “show disregard for the safety and livelihoods of Filipinos and international law.”

Agency spokesperson Matthew Miller cited an international tribunal 2016 ruling that China has “no lawful maritime claims” to the waters around Ayungin, which is “clearly within the Philippines exclusive economic zone.”

“As provided under the 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, the 2016 arbitral decision is final and legally binding on the PRC and the Philippines, and the United States calls upon the PRC to abide by the ruling and desist from its dangerous and destabilizing conduct,” Miller said in a press conference.

He added that the US-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty extends to armed attacks on Philippine vessels, including those of the Coast Guard, anywhere in the South China Sea.

The agreement requires Washington to support Manila in the event of an attack.

But Miller declined to say whether the treaty could be triggered by the latest incident.

“I’m not going to speculate or get out ahead of any discussions with – in this regard,” the US State Department official said.

For their part, the CCG stood firm that it “took control measures” against Philippine ships’ “illegal intrusion” in waters around the shoal.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Following the alert issued by a United States maritime analyst that two Chinese research vessels were detected “loitering” at the resource-rich Philippine Rise east of Luzon, the Philippine Coast Guard (OK CG) on Monday has deployed the BRP Gabriela Silang (OPV-8301) for a two-week mission to Batanes and Benham Rise.

PCG Spokesperson, CG Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said the BRP Gabriela Silang will patrol for the vicinity waters to conduct maritime domain awareness, intensify Coast Guard presence in Northern Luzon, and monitor local fishermen.

“We will also check the reported Chinese research vessels in Benham Rise,” CG Rear Admiral Balilo quipped.

Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Gilberto “Gibo” Teodoro Jr. had earlier called for increased military presence in Batanes, calling the northernmost province “the spearhead of the Philippines.”

The Naval Forces Northern Luzon (NFNL) said the DND chief wants more structures in the province after inspecting Naval Detachment Basco, Naval Detachment Mavulis, Itbayat Airport, and the Multi-Agency Facility in Mahatao.

Meanwhile, it was learned that air assets of the Coast Guard Aviation Force are on standby for possible augmentation, specifically in performing aerial surveillance.

To recall, former United States Air Force official and ex-Defense Attaché Ray Powell revealed on his X (formerly Twitter) post that Chinese vessels Haiyang Dizhi Liuhao and Haiyang Dizhi Shihao sailed from Longque Island in Guangzhou province on February 26 and moved east-southeast through the Luzon Strait.

Based on the map Powell showed, the Chinese vessels sailed between Basco, Batanes, and islands off the main island of Luzon.

 (el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Alarmed by possible online security breach, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Tuesday (27 Feb 2024) said it has consulted with the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group to trace the culprit of the hacking of its Facebook page.

The PCG disclosed that on Monday night (26 February 2024), the PCG’s Facebook page started to post malicious videos after an “unknown entity” gained access to the account.

“After initial consultation with the Philippine National Police (PNP) Anti-Cybercrime Group, the CGPAS (Coast Guard Public Affairs) considers the possibility of online security breach through malware (malicious software),” PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo said.

The PCG official said the unknown entity did not leave any digital trace on the official email address and the mobile phone used to establish a security key as an additional layer of online security protection.

Balilo added that the CGPAS already coordinated with Meta and provided the needed details to regain access to the page.

“The CGPAS is also set to meet with Coast Guard Weapons, Communications, Electronics, and Information System Command (CGWEIS) to conduct backend operations for page recovery,” he said.

The PCG Facebook page has yet to be recovered as of posting time.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Given the escalating tension between the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Monday (26 Feb 2024) said it is ready to support the country’s coast guard.

The AFP’s statement came out on the heels of the latest incident between PCG and Chinese vessels in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal.

“The AFP supports the maritime law enforcement operation of the PCG and other maritime law enforcement agencies. For our part, any challenges faced by foreign forces are addressed with utmost professionalism and we will practice maximum tolerance,” AFP spokesperson Col. Francel Margareth Padilla told reporters in a Viber message.

At the same time, the AFP maintained that it would practice maximum tolerance in “addressing challenges from foreign forces.”

On Sunday (25 February 2024), the Philippines accused the China Coast Guard (CCG) of attempting to block the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ BRP Datu Sanday, which was delivering supplies to fishermen near Bajo de Masinloc last February 22.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Undaunted by the continuing harassment by China, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday (24 Feb 2024) revealed the increasing number of Chinese vessels in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) and so far recorded 4 Chinese Coast Guard vessels, 3 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy vessels, 7 Maritime militia vessels, and one Chinese fishing vessel.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) also recorded 3 dangerous maneuvers by the Chinese Coast Guard, Chinese maritime militia, and, for the first time, a Chinese fishing vessel participated in blocking the BFAR vessel.

“We can fairly say na merong significant number of increase, pero I think probably the other reason is dahil sa presence na natin ngayon as what the president directed the Philippine Coast guard and BFAR to have a rotational deployment in Bajo de Masinloc, so probably this is the reason why there’s an increasing number of Chinese Maritime militia,” PCG spokesperson for the WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela said.

It was gathered that from the entrance of Bajo de Masinloc, BFAR personnel spotted the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), a Chinese warship, around 11 in the evening of February 21, marking what the BFAR said was the early shadowing.

“This is the first time that the Philippine government monitored the presence of a Chinese fishing vessel, not a Chinese maritime militia. This is the first time a Chinese fishing vessel participated in the blocking and shadowing operation to prevent the BFAR vessel from moving forward or getting closer to Bajo de Masinloc,” Tarriela said.

He added that the presence of Chinese fishing vessels could indicate additional troops deployed by China at Bajo de Masinloc.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela on Thursday  (22 Feb 2024) branded as “inaccurate” China Coast Guard’s (CCG) claim that it repelled a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel near Scarborough Shoal or Bajo de Masinloc.

Tarriela said the BFAR vessel, BRP DATU SANDAY, “is actively ensuring the security of Filipino fishermen in that area,” as of this posting.

“Interestingly, some of our media friends are embedded onboard the BFAR vessel, and their forthcoming reports upon completion of the mission will confirm the accuracy of our statement,” the PCG official said.

In a post on X by China-backed Global Times, it claimed that the CCG had “repelled” the Philippines’ BFAR Ship 3002.

PCG officials cited a ruling by an international court in The Hague in 2016 that ruled that the Philippines has fishing rights over Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Liezelle Soriano

MANILA — Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) spokesman for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela said on Saturday (17 Feb 2024) that President Ferdinand Marcos “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has ordered them to maintain the country’s presence in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) amid China’s continued presence in Philippine waters.

“We know for a fact na ang ‘Bajo de Masinloc’ is a traditional fishing ground for the Filipinos particularly ang ating mga kababayan sa Zambales, sa Pangasinan at in different parts dito sa coastal area ng Northern Luzon,” Tarriela said.

“Dahil dito, it is now the guidance of our President to have a rational deployment between the Philippine Coast Guard and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to maintain our presence in Bajo de Masinloc,” he added.

Tarriela explained the PCG has maintained its presence in Philippine waters from February 1 to 9 while the Bureau of Aquatic Resources (BFAR) deployed its personnel after their shift in conducting the rotational deployment.

“So dinikitan siya at from then on, hindi na siya binitawan. The entire presence ng BFAR vessel dito it was consistently shadowed by the Chinese Coast Guard vessel particularly this one – China Coast Guard 3105,” he added.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA  — As if playing cat and mouse, eight Chinese vessels were spotted by the Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Teresa Magbanua on its nine-day patrol of Bajo de Masinloc, specifically in Panatag and Scarborough shoals.

This was revealed by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Sunday 11 Feb 2024), saying the BRP Teresa Magbanua was deployed to Bajo de Masinloc earlier in the month to help secure Filipino fishermen in the shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

According to PCG, the Philippine vessel “professionally engaged” the 4 China Coast Guard (CCG) and 4 Chinese Maritime Militia ships “reiterating the clear and principled position of the Philippines by maritime law.”

PCG spokesperson for WPS Commodore Jay Tarriela, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that the CCG vessels 3105, 3302, 3063, and 3064 “shadowed the PCG vessel on more than 40 occasions”, at one point being just 176 meters from the Magbanua.

“The CCG vessels performed dangerous and blocking maneuvers at sea against BRP Teresa Magbanua four times, with the CCG vessels crossing the bow of the PCG vessel twice, recklessly disregarding the ‘Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea’(COLREGS) once again,” the PCG maintained.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Maintaining that the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) will continue to expose China’s aggression, PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela on Wednesday (07 Feb 2024) emphasized their transparency efforts to raise public awareness of China’s “illegal actions” in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

At the same time, the PCG official called on other smaller countries to be united and rally like-minded states to challenge acts that defy international law and disrupt the international ruling.

“Simply condemning China’s aggressive behavior through public statements may not be enough to hold Beijing fully accountable. The international community must explore alternative measures to compel China to adhere to international law, going beyond just imposing reputational cost,” Tarriela said in a forum held in San Juan City.

He pointed out that the world community must seek alternative measures to compel China to abide by international law amid its continuing aggression in the WPS.

“Without tangible consequences, China may continue its aggressive actions in the region and our transparency initiative may be perceived as an endless stream of complaints against China,” Tarriela quipped.

He added: “Without such exposure, smaller nations like the Philippines, will continue to be targets of bullying by more powerful and larger countries like China.”

The PCG spokesperson also stressed the importance of exposing the excesses of bigger countries.

“If we do not expose their illegal actions, countries like China and Russia will become increasingly emboldened to bully smaller nations knowing that they will face no consequences or accountability. Their unlawful actions will go unpunished if like-minded states that support the international rules-based order remain unaware,” Tarriela concluded.

(el Amigo/MNM)

By Junex Doronio

MANILA — Trashing China’s insinuation that the United States and other allies may have a  “hidden agenda” on the West Philippine Sea (WPS) issue, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Thursday said the country will continue to welcome countries that support its interests.

PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela stressed that the Philippines will keep its vigilance against “bullies” and called out China for blaming the actions of the Philippines as well as the US for the rising tensions in the South China Sea.

“While it is true that there is no such thing as free lunch, unlike China, our allies do not take away our lunch especially if it is rightfully ours,” Tarriela said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

He was reacting to an editorial article in the Chinese government-supported publication Global Times.

The article read, “The Philippines must remain vigilant against the ‘enthusiasm’ displayed by the US and some other countries. There is no such thing as a free lunch, and behind the US’ “enthusiasm” lies a hidden agenda.”

It can also be noted that recently, Chinese state media People’s Daily also published a commentary accusing the Philippines of infringing on China’s territory, spreading false information, and colluding with other countries to cause trouble.

“Until now, the [People’s Republic of China] has not come to terms with the fact that their fabricated narratives and baseless claims about the alleged aggressive actions of the Philippines are not that convincing,” Tarriela quipped.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) also said the Philippines is not provoking conflict in the South China Sea.

“[The] Philippines is not provoking conflict. We follow international law and we are only implementing our domestic law,” AFP spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar pointed out.

He further said the Philippines is not conducting activities that will put vessels and seafarers in danger and instead accused China of performing dangerous maneuvers that sometimes result in collisions at sea.

“They are the ones committing all the violations,” Aguilar retorted.

He noted that the Philippines was just conducting activities within its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

(IAmigo/MNM)

MANILA — A member of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is now in critical condition, declared brain dead following an incident during a Water Search and Rescue (WASAR) training session at Sangley Point, Cavite City, on a Saturday afternoon.

The victim, identified as Mon Caguay y Baglinit, 30, a native of Tabuk, Kalinga Apayao, and a PCG member, is presently undergoing treatment at the San Pedro Calungsod Medical Center, Cavite.

Romana Caguay, the mother of the victim, has already filed a formal complaint with the Cavite City Component Police Station, alleging that her son drowned during the WASAR training organized by PCG personnel stationed at Sangley Point, Cavite City.

The incident occurred at approximately 3:30 PM on November 16, 2023, in the seawater of Manila Bay, Barangay 48, Sangley Point, Cavite City.

In addition to the local police, the family intends to seek further assistance by filing a complaint with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), particularly against the PCG-MSSC (Philippine Coast Guard-Maritime Safety Services Command) training staff.

(Benjamin Cuaresma/ai/mnm)

On Saturday, October 14, 2023, personnel from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) showcased their capabilities in a demonstration held in front of the youth from Baseco, located in Tondo, Manila. This event took place at Pier 13 in the Port Area of Manila during a visit by the BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) as part of a concurrent tour.

Shown here are images capturing the PCG’s demonstration in front of the children from Baseco, Tondo, Manila:

The event was overseen by Commodore Armand Balilo, the spokesperson for the Philippine Coast Guard, and also featured the presence of Gerald Anderson, a prominent figure within the Philippine Coast Guard.

(Benjamin Cuaresma/ai/mnm)

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Manila — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has issued a clarification regarding the recent boat collision incident that occurred last Monday, resulting in the tragic loss of three Filipino fishermen’s lives.

In contrast to initial reports, the incident did not take place in Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal. It has been determined to be an accident, and importantly, the China Coast Guard was not involved.

“We wish to clarify that this incident occurred in the waters of Pangasinan, not in the immediate vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc. I want to correct our previous statement,” stated PCG spokesman Commodore Jay Tarriela during an interview.

Tarriela went on to explain that the incident happened approximately 180 nautical miles off Agno, Pangasinan, which is closer to Pangasinan than Bajo de Masinloc.

“Based on the accounts provided by the Filipino fishermen, the area was engulfed in darkness due to adverse weather conditions at the time. Hence, there is a possibility that the fishing boat went unnoticed by the other vessel,” Tarriela added, dispelling any notions of deliberate ramming.

He also stressed that no Chinese vessels were implicated in the incident, addressing the initial speculations that arose due to reports suggesting the incident occurred in Bajo de Masinloc—a region in the West Philippine Sea known for frequent encounters between Chinese and Filipino ships.

Tarriela stated that a PCG investigation is currently underway to confirm the identity of the vessel responsible for colliding with the Filipino boat.

“The Coast Guard is actively working to determine the next port of call for the ‘vessel of interest’ and to verify whether it was in the vicinity of the incident at the reported time and date,” he explained. “Once confirmed, the Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, will engage with the country where the vessel is registered.”

Further investigations revealed that the Pacific Ana, an oil tanker flying the Marshall Islands flag, was sailing near the location where the incident occurred. The Pacific Ana had traveled from South Korea and was en route to Singapore.

The fishing vessel Dearyn, carrying 14 crew members, was anchored to a fish float when it was struck by the larger vessel at 4:20 a.m. on Monday. Tragically, three fishermen lost their lives in the collision, identified as Dexter Laudencia, the 47-year-old boat captain, along with crew members Romeo Mejeco, 38, and Benedicto Olandria, 62. Eleven crew members survived by transferring to Dearyn’s eight service boats after it sank.

The survivors have since returned to their hometown of Calapandayan in Subic, Zambales, where the local government has provided assistance to the affected fishermen. (ai/mnm)

THE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has launched an intensive search operation in the West Philippine Sea to locate the vessel that collided with a fishing boat from Subic, Zambales, resulting in the tragic loss of three Filipino fishermen on September 30th.

Alexander Corpuz, the PCG Pangasinan station commander, stated in a telephone interview, “We have dispatched an investigative team to interview the surviving fishermen and gather additional information.”

Eleven fishermen managed to survive the incident and arrived at the coastal village of Cato in Infanta town, Pangasinan, on the morning of October 3rd. One injured fisherman received immediate medical attention under the supervision of Richie Domingo from the Infanta Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management office.

The deceased fishermen have been identified as Dexter Laudencia, 40, the boat’s skipper and owner, along with crew members Benedicto Olandria, 62, and Romeo Mejico, 38. Their remains were transported to their homes in Subic on October 4th.

As of Wednesday morning, the PCG had limited information about the vessel responsible for the collision, except that it was traveling southbound and was a commercial ship. However, one survivor described the vessel’s color as blue, as reported by Napoleon Domalanta, the village chief of Cato.

The incident occurred at approximately 4:30 a.m. on September 30th while the fishermen were engaged in fishing activities near a “payao” located approximately 190 nautical miles (351.88 kilometers) northwest of Infanta, Pangasinan. A “payao” is a floating artificial reef constructed from small bamboo rafts with palm leaves hanging beneath them to attract small fish, which, in turn, attract larger fish.

“It was the fourth payao that they had visited during that fishing trip,” mentioned Corpuz. The fishermen had departed from Subic on September 26th aboard their fishing vessel, F/B Dearyn. Inclement weather conditions forced them to secure their boats at the payao on September 30th.

Domalanta explained, “It was dark and raining, and they could not have noticed the approaching ship.” The adverse weather they encountered was described as “tribunada,” characterized by a violent gale and blinding rain.

It was also noted that one of the fishermen had mentioned that the payao was within an international shipping lane.

Corpuz emphasized that the fishermen’s location at the time of the collision was only 10 nautical miles (18.52 kilometers) away from the boundary of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. He further mentioned that the three deceased fishermen had sustained head injuries, suggesting a direct impact on the ship.

The other fishermen survived because they were in smaller boats typically carried by the larger fishing vessel during expeditions. These smaller boats were used to sail back to shore until they reached Cato.

“They docked here because we are nearer than Subic. They have been traveling for three days. That’s why the deceased were already in an advanced stage of decomposition,” added Domalanta.

This incident recalls a similar tragedy in June 2012 when a ship collided with a fishing boat near a payao in the West Philippine Sea. One fisherman from Bolinao town lost his life, and four others went missing. The ship, marked with Chinese characters on its stern, went northward, but it was never located.

(ai/mnm)