The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) on Friday denounced China Coast Guard’s “hazardous maneuvers” around and eventual ramming of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’ (BFAR) BRP Datu Magat Salamat.
The BRP Datu Magat Salamat (MMOV 3015) was conducting a legitimate fuel subsidy mission for Filipino fisherfolk Friday morning, an estimated 54 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan—well within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
According to an earlier report, this was when China Coast Guard vessel CCG-21585 allegedly cut across the rear or stern of the BRP Datu Magat Salamat at a distance of about 10 meters. This was at 11:04 a.m.
At approximately 11:13 a.m., CCG-21585 repeated the maneuver, this time making contact with BRP Datu Magat Salamat while it maintained its course.
The NTF-WPS declared this “reckless act” a “serious breach” of the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award affirming the Philippines’ sovereign rights within its EEZ.
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel were promptly deployed to respond to the incident, the NTF-WPS said.
“We remain resolute in protecting the rights and welfare of our fisherfolk and ensuring that lawful government missions in the West Philippine Sea continue without intimidation or coercion. The immediate deployment of Philippine Coast Guard assets to assist the BFAR vessel reflects the government's commitment to safeguard Filipino lives and uphold legitimate civilian operations in our maritime zones,” it said in a statement.
The NTF-WPS urged China to cease such “dangerous and unlawful actions,” which put lives at risk.
“We will continue to exercise our rights under international law with restraint, professionalism, and firm commitment to the security and dignity of the Filipino people,” it said.
The collision left BRP Datu Magat Salamat’s starboard side damaged—its railings were bent, broken and detached.
Moreover, metal stanchions and support structures were also deformed, deck fixtures and equipment displaced, and debris scattered across the deck as a result, according to the PCG.
