MANILA, February 14 ------ The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said BRP Cabra successfully drove away the China Coast Guard vessel CCG-3304 found within 43 nautical miles off the coast of Bolinao, Pangasinan. The PCG said that the Chinese ship was pushed away to an approximate distance of 101.44 nautical miles off Bani, Pangasinan. However, maritime authorities reported that another Chinese vessel arrived in the vicinity with bow number 3103, which PCG said "seemingly [took] the place of CCG-3304" which went towards the Bajo De Masinloc area.
The PCG explained its vessel will remain vigorous on challenging the replacement ship. "Undeterred, the 44-meter PCG vessel BRP Cabra challenged the larger 77-meter CCG vessel, asserting its presence within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and highlighting that the CCG's illegal patrols are in violation of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award," it said in a statement. "The PCG remains steadfast in its patriotic duty to patrol our Exclusive Economic Zone, aiming to prevent the normalization of illegal Chinese activities and to document the CCG's escalating actions in the Philippines' WPS," it added, emphasizing their personnel committed to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s directive of non-escalation and non-provocation.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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