MANILA – President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has expressed alarm regarding the dangerous maneuvers of the China Coast Guard (CCG) at Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.
According to Presidential Communications Office’s Undersecretary Claire Castro, the country maintains being “professional” and would let the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) address the issue.
“Of course, concerned po ang ating Pangulo sa mga nangyayari,” Castro said in a media briefing at Malacañang in the wake of Beijing’s latest aggressive actions at Panatag Shoal.
“Mini-maintain pa rin po natin ‘yung level of professionalism na may kasama pong fearless spirit of patriotism,” she added.
On Sunday, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confronted a vessel from the China Coast Guard that was located between 83 and 85 nautical miles off the coast of Palauig, Zambales, which falls well within the nation’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.
The CCG 3302 began to follow the PCG’s 44-meter patrol vessel, BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409), approximately 176 kilometers west-northwest of Capones Island, Zambales.
At the time of the encounter, the PCG vessel was en route to the southwestern region of Panatag, also known as Bajo de Masinloc.
The Chinese vessel reportedly executed “reckless and dangerous maneuvers” at a mere 16 meters directly ahead of the port side of the BRP Cabra, seemingly attempting to collide with it, which was described by PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, as a “blatant disregard for safety”./PN
