PCG: Three China ships swarm West Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines — Three patrol ships of the China Coast Guard (CCG) were spotted swarming the West Philippine Sea, Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commodore Jay Tarriela reported.

The agency’s 44-meter patrol vessel BRP Bagacay shadowed CCG 3105 until it was driven away at “approximately 95 nautical miles off the coast of Zambales,” he said in a statement on Sunday evening.

Just like the previous radio challenges, PCG personnel onboard Bagacay warned CCG 3105 it was violating Republic Act 12064 or the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the 2016 Arbitral Award.

CCG 3105 reportedly replaced CCG 5303 that arrived in the same area last Feb. 15, noted Tarriela who is PCG’s spokesman on West Philippine Sea issues.

Meanwhile, CCG 5303 and CCG 3301 were detected “illegally patrolling the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc” also called Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal.

CCG patrol ships have been navigating the West Philippine Sea, over which the Philippines asserts sovereign rights, being part of its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, since Jan. 4, 2025.

“Despite operating with limited resources and facing challenging sea conditions that jeopardize the safety of our personnel, the PCG’s resolve to protect our maritime interests will not waver,” wrote Tarriela.

Meanwhile, motorists along East Avenue in Quezon City honked their horns yesterday morning to support Filipino fishers and frontliners in the West Philippine Sea, as Akbayan party-list called on the public to reject false narratives about the disputed waters.

Waving banners that read “Honk your horns! West Philippine Sea is real,” Akbayan led the demonstration, urging Filipinos to stand against politicians who spread misinformation about the WPS.

Akbayan called on voters to elect a strong “West Philippine Sea bloc” in Congress and local government positions to counter “pro-China politicians.”

Komodo exercise

Meanwhile, the Philippine Navy joined 37 navies from around the globe in the 5th Multilateral Naval Exercise Komodo 2025 in Indonesia, reinforcing multilateral cooperation and regional maritime security efforts.

Hosted by the Indonesian Navy, the biennial exercise is being conducted from Feb. 16 to 22 in Bali.

The Philippine Navy delegation, led by Rear Admiral Joe Anthony Orbe, commander of the Philippine Fleet, together with Philippine defense and armed forces attaché Col. Emerson delos Santos and commander of Naval Task Group 84 Capt. Malone Agudelo, stood alongside naval leaders from around the world.

The ceremony highlighted the importance of maritime collaboration in maintaining peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Philippine Navy took part in the International Fleet Review, a showcase of naval presence and capability among participating countries. BRP Ramon Alcaraz kl6represented the Philippines in the naval formation, demonstrating the Navy’s commitment to regional security, interoperability and strengthening naval diplomacy with allied and partner nations.

The Philippine Navy exchanged insights with counterparts from participating navies and reaffirmed their shared commitment to upholding peace and stability at sea.

Philippines-Japan cooperation

In another development, the Philippines and Japan discussed yesterday areas of cooperation to address destabilizing actions in the West Philippine Sea amid China’s continued aggression.

In a phone conversation, National Security Adviser Eduardo Año offered his congratulations to his Japanese counterpart Okano Masataka on his assumption of office.

“They reaffirmed their commitment to freedom of navigation and international law in the South China Sea and East China Sea, as well as the importance of upholding a free and open Indo-Pacific and international rules-based order,” the National Security Council said in a statement.

Foreign ministers from the world’s leading industrialized nations strongly opposed China’s attempts to restrict freedom of navigation through militarization and coercive activities in the South China Sea amid China’s continued aggression.

The Group of Seven foreign ministers of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States and the high representative of the European Union reiterated their commitment to a free, open and secure Indo-Pacific region, grounded in respect for the rule of law and sovereignty.

In a statement issued after their meeting in Germany on the margins of the Munich Security Conference on Saturday, the G7 foreign ministers “strongly opposed any attempts to change unilaterally the status quo using force and underscored the importance of resolving disputes peacefully.” — Pia Lee-Brago, Mark Ernest Villeza