The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) through its patrol vessel BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) continues to shadow and push back a 134-meter China Coast Guard (CCG) ship off the coast despite adverse conditions at sea.
In a statement released Saturday evening, the PCG said BRP Cabra braved waves measuring five to eight feet high to confront CCG vessel with bow number 5303, which replaced CCG-3103 earlier. The foreign ships were patroling the coastal waters of Zambales illegally.
“CCG-5303 has been successfully pushed back to approximately 95 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales,” PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela reported in an X post.
Tarriela noted that BRP Cabra shall remain steadfast in its mission to assert the Philippines’ sovereign rights over WPS, in accordance with domestic and international maritime laws.
Last Friday, Tarriela said CCG-5901, also known as the “monster ship,” was spotted 60.6 nautical miles away from the Paracel Islands. The vessel has reportedly been present in the western section of the Philippine exclusive economic zone (EEZ) since December 2024.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) likewise noted last Wednesday the presence of three Chinese vessels within the Philippine EEZ during joint patrols conducted alongside Canadian and US counterparts.
Meanwhile, in a related development, the Philippine Navy expressed support for Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino’s proposal to establish a dedicated WPS Command.
Philippine Navy spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad said this recommendation is “well received” by the military.
“It (Tolentino’s proposed WPS command) is being considered right now how that will fit in with the AFP,” Trinidad said during a press conference in Manila.
The Navy official noted that the AFP already has different unified commands that are tasked to secure not only the WPS, but also other Philippine-claimed features that are being disputed by China.
The Palawan-based Western Command (WesCom) is in charge of the military operations in the WPS, including the Kalayaan Island Group (KIG), while the Northern Luzon Command (NolCom) oversees Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough or Panatag Shoal) and the Philippine Rise.