MANILA – The China Coast Guard (CCG) has once again harassed Philippine vessels in the contested West Philippine Sea, according to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela said in a social media post that the harassment took place in the vicinity of Rozul Reef, which is located within the West Philippine Sea, on April 4.
Two CCG ships specifically targeted Filipino fishermen supporting PCG and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessels on a mission to drop floating aggregate devices in the area.
“While the Philippine Coast Guard vessel and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources were dropping floating aggregate device (payao), the two Chinese Coast Guard vessels (21551 and 21556) who were the usual interdictors in the resupply operation in Ayungin Shoal arrived,” Tarriela wrote on his X account on Saturday afternoon.
“The Chinese Coast Guard vessels went as far as pretending to man their water cannons and threatening the Filipino fishermen, demonstrating China’s unlawful behavior aimed at depriving the Filipinos of their rights to access the resources in our Exclusive Economic Zone,” he added.
Tarriela slammed the latest aggression of the CCG, which he said stems from Beijing’s “greed and unfounded claim” that the territory belongs to them.
“This aggressive action stems from China’s greed and unfounded claim that these waters belong to them based on their imaginary dashed line,” Tarriela said.
The Rozul Reef, which is around 128 nautical miles from Palawan, is part of the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone./PN
