In a statement on Thursday, the coastguard said it chased away the Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship – which it identified by the number 3002 – in accordance with the law. It did not give further details of the incident.
The BFAR vessel is the BRP Datu Sanday, a ship that has previously been used for resupply missions to disputed islands and atolls in the South China Sea, including Scarborough Shoal.
The Philippine coastguard on Thursday disputed the Chinese claim, saying the statement was “inaccurate” and that the Datu Sanday was still patrolling in waters near the shoal.
“Currently, the BFAR vessel is actively ensuring the security of Filipino fishermen in that area,” Commodore Jay Tarriela, a coastguard spokesman, said on X. “Some of our media friends are embedded on board the BFAR vessel, and their forthcoming reports upon completion of the mission will confirm the accuracy of our statement.”
Manila announced last week that Philippine coastguard and BFAR vessels would be sent to the shoal from this month “to protect the rights and safety of Filipino fishermen” in the waters.
How many submarines does Philippines need to deter Beijing in South China Sea?
How many submarines does Philippines need to deter Beijing in South China Sea?
Both China and the Philippines lay claim to Scarborough Shoal, a rich fishing ground in the middle of the South China Sea. The shoal is located around 220km (120 nautical miles) west of the Philippine island of Luzon and about 1,000km (590 nautical miles) east of China’s Hainan Island.
China’s sweeping claims to the resource-rich waterway are also contested by Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei.
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The South China Sea dispute explained
The South China Sea dispute explained
The Datu Sanday was one of three Philippine vessels involved in a confrontation with the Chinese coastguard in December, when Manila accused the coastguard of using water cannon to “obstruct” the vessels, which were delivering fuel and food supplies to more than 30 Philippine fishing boats near the shoal.
Filipino fisherman tells Chinese coastguard to ‘go away’ from disputed shoal
Filipino fisherman tells Chinese coastguard to ‘go away’ from disputed shoal
On Saturday, the Philippines claimed that Chinese fishermen were using cyanide to catch fish near and “intentionally destroy” Scarborough Shoal, an accusation Beijing has denied. Cyanide fishing can damage the ecosystem and has been banned in many places, including the Philippines.
