Jamayka Rhose Pascual

Despite the latest show of aggression in the waters of West Philippine Sea (WPS), Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels launched another water cannon attack on Philippine resupply ships near Scarborough Shoal on October 8.

Photo Courtesy of BFAR/Philippine Star.

Three CCGs and a PLA-Navy vessel attacked the BRP Datu Cabaylo and BRP Datu Sanday during a resupply mission to Filipino fisherfolks in the area of Bajo de Masinloc in the WPS.

The Chinese vessels approached the Philippine ships dangerously and shadowed their movements, maintaining a threatening presence.

In a direct attempt to impede the resupply mission, the Chinese vessels fired powerful water cannons at the Philippine ships, but the mission continued.

BFAR emphasized its commitment to patrolling Philippine maritime zones and supporting Filipino fisherfolk, noting that despite the attack, both ships successfully completed their resupply mission.

According to Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, the BFAR will issue the official response regarding the Chinese aggression.

"We’re concerned about that. We will continue supporting the [Philippine] Coast Guard and BFAR. We will continue performing our mandate of patrolling the West Philippine Sea (WPS). We will ensure that the integrity of our territory is intact,” Trinidad stated in a press briefing.

The PN also reported spotting 190 Chinese vessels in different locations within the WPS between September 30 and October 6, identifying China’s continued presence in the area.

In contrast to previous reports, the PN did not disclose the exact locations of the Chinese ships in the WPS.

The number of Chinese vessels detected between September 30 and October 6 dropped to 190, lesser compared to the 251 spotted Chinese vessels in the previous period.

“Their continued illegal presence in the WPS blatantly disregards the 2016 Arbitral Tribunal ruling, violates our sovereignty and sovereign rights and highlights the need to modernize the defense and security capabilities of the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines),” the PN stated.

In 2016, an international arbitration tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines, rejecting China’s claims in the WPS as having “no legal basis,” however, China has refused to recognized the ruling.