Press Conference of Philippine Coast Guard 8/31/2024
Summary
TLDRIn a press conference, the Philippine Coast Guard reported an incident where a Chinese Coast Guard vessel, 5202, rammed the Philippine vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua within the Sibutu Shoal. The incident occurred without provocation, resulting in significant damage to the Philippine vessel. Despite the harassment, the Philippine Coast Guard remains committed to its operations within the country's exclusive economic zone, asserting their legal and legitimate presence as per the 2016 Arbitral ruling.
Takeaways
- π The press conference was held by the Philippine Coast Guard to address an incident involving a Chinese Coast Guard vessel ramming a Philippine vessel.
- π’ The incident occurred at Sabina Shoal (also known as Shoal of Escoda) where the BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRB 9701) was deployed since April 15.
- πΉ Videos were presented to detail the events leading up to and including the ramming incident by the Chinese Coast Guard vessel 5205.
- βοΈ The BRP Teresa Magbanua was anchored with the intention of loitering around the shoal when it was approached by Chinese maritime forces.
- π The Chinese Coast Guard vessel 5205 performed dangerous maneuvers, ramming the port bow and starboard quarter of the BRP Teresa Magbanua.
- π§ The ramming caused damage to the bridge and freeboard of the BRP Teresa Magbanua, with a hole resulting from the direct impact.
- β° The incident happened around 12:07 PM, and the Philippine Coast Guard vessel continued its operation within the area after the incident.
- π₯ There were no reported injuries to the personnel on board the BRP Teresa Magbanua.
- π’ The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, expressed serious concern and communicated with the Chinese Embassy regarding the incident.
- βοΈ The Philippine Coast Guard maintains that their operations are legal and legitimate within their exclusive economic zone, asserting that the Chinese Coast Guard's presence is illegal.
Q & A
What was the purpose of the press conference held by the Philippine Coast Guard?
-The purpose of the press conference was to inform stakeholders and the public about the incident where a Chinese Coast Guard vessel rammed the Philippine Coast Guard vessel, BRP Teresa Magbanua, and to present detailed information and videos of the event.
Who were the speakers at the press conference?
-The speakers at the press conference were Under Secretary Alexander S. Lopez, the spokesperson of the National Maritime Council, and Commodore J, the spokesperson of the National Task Force of Coast Guard matters of the West Philippine Sea.
What was the location of the incident involving the Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua?
-The incident occurred at the Scarborough Shoal (also referred to as Shoal of Escoda), where the Chinese Coast Guard vessel rammed the BRP Teresa Magbanua.
What were the Chinese vessels involved in the incident?
-The Chinese vessels involved in the incident included two PLA Navy tag boats (175 and 185), two China Coast Guard vessels (4301 and 3104), and Chinese Maritime Militia vessels, as well as China Coast Guard vessel 5205, which was not originally deployed there.
What actions did the Chinese Coast Guard vessel 5205 take during the incident?
-The Chinese Coast Guard vessel 5205 carried out dangerous maneuvers, resulting in direct ramming on the port bow of the BRP Teresa Magbanua, and later intentionally rammed the vessel on the starboard quarter and port beam.
What damages were sustained by the BRP Teresa Magbanua as a result of the ramming?
-The BRP Teresa Magbanua sustained damages on the bridge, the freeboard, and there was a hole resulting from the direct ramming conducted by the China Coast Guard vessel.
Was there any injury reported on the Philippine Coast Guard vessel after the incident?
-As of the time of the press conference, there were no reported injured personnel on the BRP Teresa Magbanua.
What was the status of the BRP Teresa Magbanua after the incident?
-As of 2:59 PM that day, the BRP Teresa Magbanua had dropped its anchor and was still located within the Scarborough Shoal.
How did the Philippine Coast Guard respond to the incident in terms of their presence in the area?
-Despite the incident, the Philippine Coast Guard stated that there would be no reason for them to withdraw their Coast Guard vessels from the area, as their deployment is purely for legal and legitimate Coast Guard operations within their own exclusive economic zone.
What was the reaction of the Philippine government to the incident?
-The Philippine government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, issued a statement expressing serious concern over the actions of the Chinese vessels and conveyed this to the Chinese Embassy and the Embassy of the Philippines in Beijing.
What is the legal basis for the Philippine Coast Guard's presence in the Scarborough Shoal?
-The Philippine Coast Guard's presence in the Scarborough Shoal is based on the 2016 Arbitration ruling, which recognizes the area as within the Philippines' 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone, where they exercise sovereign rights and jurisdiction.
Outlines
π’ Press Conference on Collision Incident
The Philippine Coast Guard holds a press conference to address a collision incident involving a Chinese Coast Guard vessel and the Philippine Coast Guard vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua. Under Secretary Alexander S. Lopez and Commodore J. Tel provide details on the incident, which occurred near the Sabina Shoal. The Chinese vessel is accused of ramming the Philippine vessel twice, causing damage. The press conference includes a video presentation with annotations by Commodore Tel, illustrating the events as they unfolded.
πΉ Video Presentation of Collision Details
Commodore J. Tel presents a video detailing the collision incident, showing the BRP Teresa Magbanua surrounded by Chinese maritime forces. The video identifies specific Chinese vessels involved, including PLA Navy tag boats and China Coast Guard vessels. It highlights the dangerous maneuver by the China Coast Guard vessel 5205, which rammed the Philippine vessel twice. The presentation also shows the damage sustained by the BRP Teresa Magbanua and confirms that the vessel has re-anchored within the shoal area after the incident. The Philippine Coast Guard emphasizes that there were no provocations from their side, and the actions of the Chinese Coast Guard are seen as unprovoked and escalatory.
π£οΈ Addressing Maritime Tensions and Actions
The Philippine Coast Guard reiterates its commitment to continue operations in the area despite the incident and the presence of Chinese maritime forces. The commandant's conversation with the commanding officer of BRP Teresa Magbanua indicates no reported injuries, and the vessel's seaworthiness is to be evaluated. The incident is taken seriously by the national management council, and the Department of Foreign Affairs has issued statements expressing concern to the Chinese Embassy. The Philippine Coast Guard clarifies that their operations are purely coast guard activities, not involving the Navy, and are conducted to uphold legal and legitimate operations within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.
π Sovereignty and Legal Considerations
The Philippine Coast Guard emphasizes that the Sabina Shoal is well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone, and the presence of Chinese Coast Guard vessels is considered illegal. The department of Foreign Affairs is studying the situation, particularly regarding the provisional understanding at the Ayungin Shoal. The press conference concludes with a clear message that the Philippines exercises sovereignty and jurisdiction over the area, as per the 2016 Arbitration ruling, and that the deployment of the BRP Teresa Magbanua is for legitimate Coast Guard operations.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Philippine Coast Guard
π‘Chinese Coast Guard
π‘BRP Teresa Magbanua
π‘Ramming Incident
π‘Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
π‘Collision Regulations
π‘Press Conference
π‘Maritime Militia
π‘Diplomatic Protest
π‘Seaworthiness
π‘National Maritime Council
Highlights
Press conference held by the Philippine Coast Guard to inform about an incident involving a Chinese Coast Guard vessel ramming a Philippine vessel.
Under Secretary Alexander S. Lopez and Commodore J. Tel are the spokespersons for the event.
Incident occurred at SCoda SH or Sabina Shoal where the Chinese vessel rammed the BRP Teresa Magbanua.
BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRB 9701) has been deployed in the area since April 15.
Chinese Maritime forces, including two PLA Navy tag boats and two China Coast Guard vessels, were present.
At 08:50 AM, MRV 9701 was anchored with the intention of loitering around the shoal.
Chinese Coast Guard vessels and maritime militia surrounded the MRV 9701 after noticing its movement.
China Coast Guard vessel 5205 approached and rammed the port bow of MRB 9701 at 12:07 PM.
China Coast Guard vessel 5202 ignored collision regulations during the incident.
The Chinese vessel also rammed the starboard quarter and port beam of the Philippine vessel.
Damages to the BRP Teresa Magbanua include a hole in the bridge and freeboard.
As of 2:59 PM, MRV 9701 has dropped anchor inside Escoda Shoal.
No reported injuries to personnel on the Philippine Coast Guard vessel.
The Philippine Coast Guard is evaluating the damages and ensuring the seaworthiness of the vessel.
The incident occurred despite the Philippine vessel's unprovoked actions and presence.
The Philippine government has issued a statement to the Chinese Embassy expressing serious concern.
The Philippine Coast Guard is committed to continuing its operations within the exclusive economic zone.
The Department of Foreign Affairs is studying the incident and considering appropriate actions.
SCoda Shoal is within the Philippines' 200 nautical miles exclusive economic zone, as per the 2016 Arbitration ruling.
The Chinese Coast Guard's presence is considered illegal by the Philippines.
The press conference concluded with an open floor for questions from the attendees.
Transcripts
good afternoon
everyone welcome to the headquarters of
the Philippine Coast
Guard I am uh under secretary
Alexander s Lopez the spokesperson of
the national Maritime Council and with
me is uh commodor J
Tel the spokesperson of national task
force of Coast Guard matters of the West
philippin
sea the purpose of this uh press
conference is to inform our stakeholders
both internal and
external our uh viewing public of what
happened today at scoda sh or Sabina sh
where the Chinese Coast Guard vessel
rammed the Philippine Coast Guard vessel
V
Magan and to uh give you a more uh
detailed
presentation we have videos here to be
presented with commodor Tel giving or
annotating the video as uh as events
transpired this morning so
please uh thank you sir um good
afternoon everyone um as what yusk Lopez
mentioned I'm going to present to you
the uh details that
transpired that resulted to um the
ramming incident of the Philippine Coast
Guard vessel BRP Teresa
magbanua as you are all aware BRP Teresa
magbanua mrb
9701 is um deployed inside the sh of
escoda uh since April 15 next
slide if you're going to look at the the
screen you can see um mrv
9701 surrounded by uh China Coast uh
Chinese Maritime forces uh you can uh
find uh two pla Navy tag boats 175 and
tagbo 185 you can also see uh two China
Coast Guard vessels China Coast Guard
4301 and
3104 and um Chinese Maritime militia in
different areas that are
uh approximate within the distance of
mrv
9701 around 8:50 in the morning mrv
9701 hi in its anchor with the intention
of loitering around the scoda escoda sh
and um since the Chinese martime forces
uh noticed the movement of the chin the
Philippine Coast Guard vessel that's the
time that uh more uh China Coast Guard
vessels are running dve and uh more
Chinese Maritime militia vessels also
supported all of this Maritime forces to
surround our
vessel I'll just get closer no to point
it on the
monitor so this is mrv 9701 as I said no
and um based on the Drone shot that we
are presenting now you can see two pla
Navy tagbo vessels 1 75 and Pla Navy
tagbo 185 and
then initial screen there are only two
China Coast Guard vessels that you can
see 4303 and
3104 and then what happened next is that
one of the Chinese Coast Guard vessel
upon learning that we're going to we are
heaving in our anchor they blow their
horn no uh there is a blaring uh blowing
of horn that happen when we uh heave in
our anchor next
slide and then all of a sudden there is
another China Coast Guard vessel that um
is also approaching and getting near mrb
9701 that is China Coast Guard vessel
5205 now it is very important for you to
take note of the bound number of this
China Coast Guard vessel that is not
originally deployed that surround a
Philippine Coast Guard vessel next
slide because around
1207 when the Philippine Coast Guard
vessel is already on the Move
click click video
play China Coast Guard vessel
5205 carried out a danger ous maneuver
resulting to its um direct ramming on
the port bow of mrrb
9701 obviously the Chinese Coast Guard
vessel
5202 has uh ignored Collision regulation
because of such
action and then what happened next after
this in 1207 is that it would turn
around
next
slide and then it will um reach the
starboard quarter of the vessel click
the
video it will also directly and
intentionally Ram mrb
9701 on our starboard quarter a few
minutes after it carried out a dangerous
maneuver and rum the port bow of Teresa
magbanua
after this it went around and then did
another ramming to CH uh Philippine
Coast Guard vessel next
slide on the port beam of mrb
9701 China Coast Guard
5205 a
5202 has once again directly and
intentionally rum the Philippine ghost
guard vessel it is important for us to
take note that this ramming happened
despite of our unprovoked action and
presence in his kod show the Philippine
Coast Guard vessel did not provoke or
did not do anything while we are uh
loitering around scod shol but the
Chinese Coast Guard carried out
dangerous Maneuvers despite of being
unprovoked next
slide these are the damages that the
beer PESA magb has inquired as a result
of the ram the direct ramming and
intentional um Collision carried out by
China Coast Guard
5202 there is a damage on the bridge sng
and also on the freeboard of the
9707 9701
next um there is this hole that also was
a result of a direct ramming conducted
by uh the China Coast Guard and also on
this part next
slide as we are conducting this press
conference now I would like to report
also to everyone that the Philippine
Coast Guard vessel mrv
9701 as of 1459 or 2:59 p.m. this
afternoon has already dropped its anchor
uh located also within inside um escod
show next
slide so that ends my um operational
details
briefing thank you very much commodor
T so with those operational details of
what happened this morning we are now
open for uh your questions thank you
based on the conversation of the
commandant Admiral Ron Hil gavan to the
commanding officer of mrb
9701 um there were no reported um
injured Personnel of uh vpa
magbo as of this time we still don't
have the details of um the the uh
damages that we incurred um it will
still be evaluated um I think uh the
commant has already mentioned that there
is a need for us uh to send our um uh
Team to evaluate and to ensure uh the
seaworthiness of BRP Tesa magbanua
despite of the damages that she incurred
as a result of the direct ramming of the
Chinese Coast Guard
since August
8
8 I don't think so the last um incident
that we had was August 19 um the be
vessel was um uh launch um there was a
flare that were launched by the pla Air
Force and then 22 August uh the B
aircraft in Zamora Reef 25 August was
the B VP V vels uh B fire vessels uh dat
andai also from hassah hasatu scod and
27 August was the 4409 and
4411 so this the
fif
yes I I think that would be a different
spot um it is important for us to note
that because of the presence of
concentrated martime forces from the
previous um place where we Dro our
anchor it would no longer be possible
for the Coast Guard to once again go
back to its uh position where she
dropped her anchor sir
how I'm sorry I don't have the details
for
that as far as the Philippine coastar is
concerned as what um the commandant has
been mentioning
um our role for us to deploy our Coast
Guard vessel is to carry out Coast Guard
operation um these are this is the
commitment of the commandant to the
president that uh despite of the
harassment The Bullying activities and
um escalatory action of the Chinese
Coast Guard the Philippine Coast Guard
vessel Teresa magbanua or any other
replacement of the vessels there will be
no reason for us to uh withdraw our
Coast Guard vessels there
no uh this is purely a coast guard uh
activity
very the Coast Guard vessel they are
conducting patrols or even you know from
the past days they're providing
Provisions to the Coast Guard Personnel
so the Navy is not part of this activity
purely Co activity
well the the the position of our
government especially the national
management Council we take this with
serious concern that's why uh through
our uh cognition Department Department
of Foreign Affairs we have uh issued
statement
uh to the Chinese Embassy and even to
the Embassy of our Philippines in in
Beijing uh issuing our serious concern
with this uh acts of the Chinese
vessels um I'm sorry we don't discuss
operational details um when it comes to
Coast Guard
well this is part of the reports that we
will be submitting to the Department of
Foreign Affairs and and then the DFA
will come up with its own study and to
come up with the most appropriate uh
actions on their part
well it's important for us to understand
that scod show has been an issue for the
Chinese government uh since we deployed
uh BRP magb last April 15 this has
always been um a reason for China to um
always uh make it an issue they even
filed a diplomatic protest
for brps magb to be um uh to withdraw
from scod they also use uh different
platforms to highlight that uh they are
seeing this as a sem semi grounded or um
a possible place for creating uh forward
deployment base so as far as the Chinese
Coast Guard is concerned these are their
different appreciation of our deployment
for Teresa magbanua but as I said for
the Philippine Coast Guard the reason
and objective of the deployment of
tereso magman is only purely for us to
carry out a legal and legitimate Coast
Guard operation within our own exclusive
economic
zone let us be clear about it the SC is
75 naal miles from Mainland
ban it's within well within our 200
exclusive economic
zone in the 2016 Arbiter ruling so we
exercise sovereignty Sovereign rights
and jurisdiction over the area so the
Chinese Coast Guard vessels are the ones
uh illegally uh presence there are
illegal we are there on theal
basis let us be very clear about it
it is part of the study of actually the
department of Foreign Affairs now uh we
were actually hoping that the
provisional understanding there at the
aan sh would cover s but it did not
happen so the DFA is really serious
studing uh that matter
we were actually hoping that uh the the
condition standing would cover the other
areas if not the whole
but well
we okay are you are we
good yes
sir
so
uh won't be stating anymore thank you
very much for coming over uh we hope to
see you
again okay thank you good afternoon for
everyone
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