THE United States government on Wednesday denounced China’s recent harassment of Philippine vessels at Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), describing the actions as “unlawful.”
“The PRC’s (People’s Republic of China) unlawful use of water cannons and dangerous maneuvers disrupted a Philippine maritime operation on December 4, putting lives at risk,” said US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson in a post on X (formerly Twitter). “We condemn these actions and stand with our like-minded friends, partners, and allies in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported renewed hostility from Chinese forces during a routine maritime patrol to safeguard Filipino fishermen in the vicinity of Bajo de Masinloc on Wednesday morning.
PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, Commodore Jay Tarriela, detailed the incident, noting that at around 6:30 a.m., a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel fired a water cannon at the BRP Datu Pagbuaya, directly targeting its navigational antennas while the ship was positioned 16 nautical miles south of Bajo de Masinloc. The CCG vessel later “intentionally sideswiped” the Philippine ship on its starboard side and launched a second water cannon attack shortly before 7:00 a.m.
Other PCG vessels, including the BRP Teresa Magbanua, faced similar hostility. They encountered blocking, shadowing, and dangerous maneuvers from a People’s Liberation Army Navy vessel and additional CCG ships. Meanwhile, the BRP Cabra was subjected to reckless maneuvers by another Chinese vessel.
The contested Scarborough Shoal lies well within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), as defined under international law, yet Beijing continues to assert sovereignty over the area. The shoal is situated approximately 472 nautical miles from the nearest Chinese coastline.
The incident drew strong condemnation from Philippine lawmakers. Senate President Pro Tempore Jinggoy Estrada called the actions a “blatant violation of international law” and an attack on Philippine sovereignty. He urged the matter to be brought before an international body and appealed to the global community to denounce China’s provocations. “China should cease these hostile actions and engage in constructive dialogue,” Estrada asserted.
Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito criticized the attack as “brazen bullying” and a direct challenge to the Philippines’ maritime rights. He highlighted the detrimental impact on Filipino fishermen’s livelihoods and called for an expedited implementation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Modernization Program.
“We need a minimum credible defense posture to put an end to these abuses,” Ejercito emphasized.