By Benjamin Cuaresma
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) dispatched an aircraft and patrol vessel on Tuesday after detecting a Chinese Coast Guard ship drifting approximately 48 nautical miles west of Pandaquit, Zambales.
Authorities identified the vessel as China Coast Guard ship 4305, whose presence was initially detected through Canada’s dark vessel monitoring program.
PCG Commandant Ronnie Gil Gavan ordered immediate maritime and aerial operations to confront the Chinese vessel and push it away from Philippine maritime jurisdiction.
A PCG Piper Navajo 302 aircraft flew from La Union Airport early Tuesday morning and later confirmed the location of CCG 4305 west of Pandaquit.
The aircraft repeatedly issued radio warnings to the Chinese ship but received no acknowledgment. The PCG said the plane conducted several aerial passes to document the vessel’s activities before returning to base.
At sea, the patrol vessel BRP Cape San Agustin also issued radio challenges throughout the day. According to the PCG, the Chinese vessel briefly answered the first communication before ceasing all further responses.
The PCG stressed that the Chinese ship was operating well within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ), an area where the country holds sovereign rights under the United Nations.
Philippine authorities said the Chinese vessel failed to provide any lawful explanation for its presence in the area.
Gavan said the PCG would continue maritime patrols, surveillance flights, and enforcement operations to protect Philippine sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea.
The latest encounter followed reports of Chinese research vessel Xiang Yang Hong 33 operating near Pag-asa Island on May 16.
The PCG also monitored around 20 Chinese maritime militia vessels near Sandy Cay 3 and 4 during the same period.
Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines earlier reported sustained Chinese deployments in the West Philippine Sea, including multiple Chinese Coast Guard and naval vessels near Scarborough Shoal.
The closest recorded approach by a Chinese Coast Guard ship to the Philippine coastline occurred in April 2025, when a vessel was spotted about 23 nautical miles off Dasol, Pangasinan.
ia/xf
