Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana has directed the Philippine Navy to submit a full detailed incident report of China’s hostile act against a Philippine ship while on a territorial patrol at the West Philippine Sea last Feb. 17, preceding the filing of a diplomatic protest.
“I have instructed the Philippine Navy to give me a detailed briefing on the incident. As announced by Secretary Teodoro Locsin, the Department of Foreign Affairs filed a diplomatic protest which was received by the Chinese embassy today 22 April,” Lorenzana said.
The Western Command confirmed that the incident happened on Feb. 17 through a report received from the Joint Task Force West and as revealed by the Commanding Officer of BRP Conrado Yap (PS39).
Based on the report by Wescom, PS39 departed its homeport in Puerto Princesa City last Feb. 15 to conduct territorial defense operations and sovereignty patrol at Malampaya Natural Gas to Power Project and the Kalayaan Island Group in the WPS.
Wescom said that while PS 39 is underway to Rizal Reef Detachment on said date, BRP Conrado Yap detected a radar contact of a gray colored vessel.
The Philippine Navy vessel first issued a radio challenge to which the vessel responded identifying it as a Chinese vessel.
“The Chinese government has imputable sovereignty over the South China Sea, its islands and its adjacent waters,” was the Chinese response as reported by the Wescom.
After the first challenge, PS 39 instructed the Chinese vessel instructing to proceed directly to its destination.
However, “that vessel repeated its response and maintained her course and speed.”
Later, the Wescom said PS39 was able to identify the Chinese vessel as PLAN vessel bearing bow number 514 (Corvette warship).
It added that the “PS39 was able to visually observe that the Gun Control Director, an equipment that gives information in obtaining a fire control solution of said PLAN vessel was directed towards PS 39.”
The Wescom described the Gun Control Director can be used to designate and track targets and makes all the main guns ready to fire in under a second.
With the Gun Control Director pointed directly at the Philippine Navy ship, it endangered the lives of all navy personnel aboard the ship.
“While PS39 does not have the Electronic Support Measures (ESM) to
confirm that PLAN Gun Control Director was directed towards her, visual identification confirms this hostile intent,” Wescom said.
“This hostile act on the part of Chinese Government and encroachment within the Philippines’ EEZ is perceived as a clear violation of international law and Philippine Sovereignty,” Wescom reported.
After the incident, Wescom said both vessels continued their respective voyage while reporting the incident to higher headquarters.
Despite the supposed hostile act by the Chinese, the Wescom said it will continue to perform its mandate in guarding and protecting Philippine sovereignty.
“The Western Command as the AFP’s primary unit in the West Philippine Sea will continue to perform its duty and will never be intimidated nor let our guards down in protecting the sovereignty and integrity of the Philippines and will support any future capability upgrade of our ships patrolling our Philippine waters,” Wescom said in a statement.
Chinese warships have entered Philippine waters in several occasions down south in Sibutu Strait in Tawi-Tawi last year and having been sighted near the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone, particularly in oil-rich West Philippine Sea, a clear of China’s intrusion on the country’s territorial sovereignty.
Meanwhile, the Foreign Affairs said it has already filed a diplomatic protest against China on the incident.
“At 5:17 p.m. today (Wednesday), the Chinese embassy received 2 diplomatic protests: 1. on the pointing of a radar gun at a Philippine Navy ship in Philippine waters and 2. declaring parts of Philippine territory as part of Hainan province,” Locsin said in a Twitter post.