MANILA, Philippines- Nagsagawa ang dalawang Chinese coast guard (CCG) vessels ng “dangerous maneuvers” na muntik nang naging sanhi ng pagbangga ng dalawang Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) ships malapit sa Ayungin Shoal noong June 30, ayon sa PCG nitong Miyerkules.
Sa televised public briefing, sinabi ni PCG spokesperson for the West Philippines Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela na itinalaga ng PCG ang BRP Malabrigo at BRP Pascua para umasiste sa resupply mission ng Armed Forces of the Philippines.
“When the two PCG vessels reached a distance of 10.59 nautical miles away from Ayungin Shoal, namataan namin itong dalawang CCG vessels, 5201 and 4203,” paglalahad niya.
“Ang ginawa nila is they came close sa ating dalawang PCG vessels within approximate distance of 100 yards,” dagdag ng opisyal.
Base sa kanya, binagalan ng PCG vessels ang takbo nito upang maiwasan ang posibleng kolisyon sa Chinese vessels.
Sinabi ni Tarriela na nagpadala ang foreign vessels ng radio challenges, na tinugunan naman ng PCG ships.
“In response, we [were] also challenging their presence na ito,” pahayag niya.
“They are not supposed to be within our EEZ and that they were carrying out dangerous maneuvers and they are violating the [1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea],” dagdag niya.
Inihayag pa ni Tarriela na isa pang CCG vessel na may body number 3103 ang nagtungo sa area mula Bajo Masinloc upang tulungan ang dalawang CCG vessels.
Matapos ang insidente, binanggit ni Tarriela na anim na Chinese maritime militia (CMM) vessels ang humarang sa Philippine ship patungo sa Ayungin Shoal.
Aniya pa, dalawang People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy warships, 629 at 620, ang namataan sa lugar.
“This is particularly alarming as the Philippine Navy’s naval operation is solely humanitarian in nature. Despite this, the Chinese have deployed their warships, raising even greater concerns,” giit ni Tarriela.
Sa kabila nito, iniulat ni Tarriela na naisagawa ang resupply mission was at ligtas na nakabalik ang PCG vessels sa areas of operation ng mga ito.
“This is our EEZ. They are not supposed to challenge us because in accordance to [United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea], we have sovereign rights sa area na ‘to (in this area),” pahayag niya sa public briefing.
Noong July 2016, ibinasura ng UN Permanent Court of Arbitration sa The Hague, base sa kasong inihain ng Pilipinas, ang nine-dash line claim ng China na saklaw ang kabuuan ng South China Sea, kasama ang West Philippine Sea.
Hindi naman kinikilala ng China ang desisyon.
Sa kasalukuyan ay wala pang komento ang Chinese embassy hinggil dito. RNT/SA
