China vessel 'dangerously blocked' Philippine patrol ship near Scarborough Shoal — PCG

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April 15, 2025 | 1:36pm

MANILA, Philippines — A China Coast Guard vessel sailed dangerously close and, at one point, blocked the navigation route of a Philippine Coast Guard patrol vessel near Scarborough Shoal (Bajo de Masinloc) on Monday, April 14.

The PCG said in a statement on Tuesday, April 15, that CCG vessel 21612 "increased its speed and maneuvered past the port side" of BRP Cabra around 36 nautical miles south of Scarborough Shoal, "dangerously blocking its navigation route."

“This incident highlights the CCG's non-compliance with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea and reflects a blatant disregard for safety at sea,” said PCG Spokesperson Jay Tarriela.

BRP Cabra — a 44-meter Parola-class patrol vessel — has resumed its conduct of routine patrols off the coast of Zambales to counter what the PCG describes as China’s attempts to normalize its illegal presence within waters the Philippines has sovereign rights to.

Scarborough Shoal — which lies 124 nautical miles off Masinloc, Zambales — has been a flashpoint in tensions between Manila and Beijing since the latter seized control of the feature after a standoff with Philippine vessels in 2012.

Last week, the same CCG vessel and the much bigger CCG vessel 3302 reportedly attempted to ram BRP Cabra some 98 nautical miles from Palauig Point, Tumalog City, Zambales.

Both incidents last week and on Monday took place within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

International rules specifically require ships to maintain proper lookout, proceed at safe speeds, and take clear action to avoid collisions when encountering other vessels head-on.

“While coast guards are typically recognized as enforcers of maritime safety and humanitarian organizations, the actions of the People's Republic of China diverge from these norms,” Tarriela said. "Their illegal patrols jeopardize the lives of fishermen and legitimate law enforcement agencies alike."

Chinese vessels have resumed regular patrols in waters off Zambales following a brief lull in activity, Tarriela said last week.

The PCG first detected China's largest vessel — the 12,000-ton CCG 5901, dubbed "The Monster" —about 54 nautical miles from Capones Island on January 4. Since then, Beijing has maintained a rotating presence of Coast Guard vessels in the area, most significantly larger than their Philippine counterparts.

China's incursions into the West Philippine Sea are part of Beijing's larger strategy in the South China Sea, where it claims nearly the entire waterway through its 'nine-dash line' boundary. The Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled in 2016 that this expansive claim has no legal basis under international law.