China Water Cannons Philippine Vessels Two Days Straight Near Scarborough Shoal

MANILA, Philippines — At least three Philippine vessels were hit by water cannons from their Chinese counterparts during a mission to Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal) on Friday morning, July 24. It was the second straight day that the China Coast Guard used water cannons against Philippine vessels near the feature, which Beijing has controlled access to since 2012. In a release, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said two CCG ships hit the PCG’s BRP Cape San Agustin and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel BRP Datu Paduhinog within an hour and a half of each other Friday, between 6:26 am and 7:53 am. The Philippine ships were sailing as close as 10 to 15 nautical miles away from Bajo de Masinloc, a high-tide elevation just over 100 nautical miles from the Philippine mainland. Before 9 am on Friday, a CCG ship trained its water cannon on another BFAR vessel, BRP Datu Cabaylo. The CCG ships also used dangerous manuevers on — or sailed dangerously and aggressively close to — the Philippine vessels. The PCG said a Chinese Maritime Militia ship was monitored “pulling a rope” some 100 meters ahead of the BFAR’s BRP Datu Sumakwel, “[posing] a hazard to the vessel’s safe navigation.” The PCG said personnel were safe and the vessels went ahead with their mission to bring fuel subsidies and provisions to Filipino fisherfolk in the area. As of 9:30 am, there were at least 12 CCG vessels and 3 Chinese Maritime Militia ships. The Philippines, meanwhile, deployed 3 PCG ships and 7 BFAR vessels. “The PCG strongly condemns the dangerous and unprofessional actions of the China Coast Guard. Bajo de Masinloc is an integral part of the Philippine territory, and its surrounding waters form part of the country’s territorial sea and exclusive economic zone. The 2016 Arbitral Award has affirmed that Bajo de Masinloc is a traditional fishing ground of Filipino fisherfolk, whose rights cannot be lawfully impeded by any foreign power,” said the PCG. Just a day prior, on July 23, the CCG also used water cannons on PCG and BFAR ships. It’s been a week of tense confrontations between the Philippines and China in the West Philippine Sea, a part of the South China Sea that includes the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). On July 20, CCG personnel entered Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal, where the rusting BRP Sierra Madre has been aground since 1999. A tense confrontation between the CCG and Philippine soldiers led to the injuries, including a head wound on one Filipino. The Philippines and China have traded protests over the Ayungin incident, including during a bilateral meeting between their foreign ministers on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meetings in Manila. – Rappler.com