MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro rejected yesterday claims that the Philippines should be held responsible and even pay for the damage caused by a recent collision involving China’s own ships in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).
On the contrary, she said China has yet to pay for damage after Philippine vessels were accosted near Ayungin Shoal in June 2024 where a soldier lost a finger.
“The Philippines bears no responsibility for the collision between the PLAN (People’s Liberation Army Navy) vessel and the CCG (China Coast Guard) vessel in Bajo de Masinloc,” Lazaro said of the event last Monday.
“It was an unfortunate outcome, but not one caused by our actions,” she added, referring to collision of a Chinese warship and a CCG vessel near Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal as the foreign boats were harassing and pursuing the BRP Suluan of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
Lazaro turned the tables on China and reminded it there hasn’t been compensation for the damage as well as firearms it stole last year during a confrontation near Ayungin Shoal as the Philippines was conducting a rotation and resupply (RORE) mission to the BRP Sierra Madre.
“On a similar note, the Philippines reiterates its demand to China for compensation for the damage caused to Philippine vessels and equipment on June 17, 2024, as well as the return of its firearms and equipment, and the personal effects of its personnel that were illegally seized on that date,” she said.
During the RORE mission, CCG personnel forcibly blocked Philippine Navy vessels from reaching Ayungin Shoal, resulting in a confrontation with one soldier getting severely injured.
Armed with knives, bolos and axes, Chinese personnel punctured and immobilized the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ rubber boats, destroyed communications equipment and even stole some disassembled high-powered firearms.
One Naval Special Operations Group soldier lost his thumb during the melee that angered AFP chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., who likened the CCG personnel involved to pirates.
Floating rocket debris
The Philippine Coast Guard meanwhile recovered floating rocket debris bearing markings of the People’s Republic of China along the shoreline of Sitio Gunting, Barangay Bonbon, Looc, Occidental Mindoro on Thursday.
The PCG said that at 12:30 p.m., the Coast Guard Sub-Station (CGSS) Lubang received a call from the Philippine National Police-Maritime Group, after a local fisherman retrieved debris allegedly linked to the Long March 7A rocket launch conducted by China between July 15 and 17, 2025.
“Upon receipt of the report, CGSS Lubang coordinated with Barangay Binacas and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) Lubang Sub-Office, to coordinate a retrieval operation,” the PCG said.
The joint team of the PCG and PDRRMO confirmed the debris’ presence. Personnel interviewed a fisherman, a 50-year-old resident of Barangay Binacas, who discovered the object while fishing one nautical mile off Barangay Bonbon.
The debris, measuring about 10 feet wide and 14 feet long, was made of alloy material and bore China’s flag. By afternoon the debris was secured “for safekeeping and proper disposition” in Barangay Maliig, Lubang, Occidental Mindoro.
Continued intrusion
Despite its supposed reduced force following an incident wherein two of its vessels collided, Chinese ships continued intruding into the West Philippine Sea, based on observations by an American maritime security expert.
Former US Air Force official and defense attaché Ray Powell reported he could “see three China Coast Guard and eight Chinese militia ships leaving the area of Scarborough Shoal…
“China is reducing the number of ships enforcing its Scarborough Shoal exclusion zone, which was temporarily plussed-up to at least eight China Coast Guard and 14 militia starting on 5 August,” he wrote in a post on his X account yesterday.
He noted most of the three CCG and eight maritime militia vessels leaving Scarborough were “headed back to China, but two of the militia are headed southwest toward the Spratly Islands.”
Enforce laws
Following China’s recent aggressive activities in the West Philippine Sea, a maritime security expert on Friday said the Philippine government must be able to fully enforce its recently enacted maritime laws.
Retired admiral Rommel Jude Ong said over “Storycon” on One News that the “tempo” of Chinese aggression within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone increased after President Marcos signed the Philippine Maritime Zones and the Philippine Archipelagic Sea Lanes Acts late last year.
“We passed laws that they do not agree with, so what they are doing is test it if we can enforce them,” he said in Filipino. “When we pass laws, part of that is being able to enforce them.”
Ong said the incident at Panatag Shoal on Monday may not be considered an “escalation” on the part of China.
Taiwan thanks Philippines
Taiwan, through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), thanked President Marcos yesterday for reaffirming his support for peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait.
“This consistent position reflects our shared commitment to security, dialogue over coercion and protecting our peoples’ livelihoods,” a statement posted on X read.
Taiwan’s MOFA expressed its gratitude in response to a statement by Marcos during his visit to India last week. — Bella Cariaso, Ghio Ong, Janvic Mateo