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Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><ivs-player data-ivs-key="e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603" data-ivs-spid="3001339" data-ivs-vid="3028224"></ivs-player></div><script src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/js/loader.js"></script>MANILA — The Philippine flag took a direct hit from the China Coast Guard’s water cannon attack during the government’s supply mission to Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Panatag Shoal or Scarborough Shoal, on April 30.The PCG showed footage of the incident taken on board BRP Bagacay, one of the two Philippine vessels that suffered damage due to the attack.The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is investigating whether the water cannon attack could be a basis for filing another diplomatic protest against China.“We have to investigate. It’s difficult to actually already say it should be protested. The process in DFA is, when an incident happens in the waters, we have to have an official report coming from the PCG, from other agencies and the NTF. The report becomes a basis for the action that will be taken, whether it will be a protest, summoning or what,” DFA spokesperson Ma. Teresita Daza told reporters on the sidelines of the National Security Cluster Communications Workshop in San Narciso, Zambales on Friday.But PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela said China’s water cannon was most likely aimed at BRP Bagacay’s communication equipment.He, however, admitted, that this could be a bigger deal given that the Philippine flag was seemingly targeted.“Sa question na flag ba talaga ang intention na target ng PRC? We can probably say that would be possible but the objective of the water cannoning sa nakaraang insidente is for them to terminate ang mobility ng PCG at BFAR vessels. We are relatively dependent sa ating communication equipment and navigation equipment,” Tarriela explained.“For us, ang target talaga nila are the antennas na nasa superstructure natin… Definitely, for viewers na makita na tinitira ang PH flag natin ng water cannon, napakasakit sa atin bilang Pilipino,” he added.Manila has urged Beijing to leave Panatag Shoal and nearby areas right away.The DFA expressed this protest directly to Chinese Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission Zhou Zhiyong, who was summoned on Thursday.A total of 153 diplomatic protests have been filed against Chinese illegal activities in the West Philippine Sea since the start of the Marcos administration, according to Daza.“The deputy chief of mission was summoned and our protest was conveyed to them. We will expect that they will also give their narrative,” Daza said.“The protest is important. Some people will say, we keep on doing it. But it’s important that it’s done because the protest signifies our position, tells them that we are not happy with what’s happening in the waters. It has both political and diplomatic importance. But the more important thing is, it is a legal document… When protests are made, they are not made hastily.” “The protest becomes our way of saying and becomes a record that we are not agreeing to the narrative and to the misinformation that is being peddled by the other side. The protest has value on its own,” she pointed out.For the PCG, China’s actions are no longer considered as merely &quot;gray zone tactics&quot;.“Because of our transparency strategy, the PH government no longer considers this as gray zone strategy. What we call this is an outright violation of international law; China is violating international law, and they are blatant offenders of the UNCLOS. They don’t also care about the IMO conventions. As far as our government is concerned, wala nang gray zone strategy ang China. For us, all their actions are unlawful actions. They are offenders of international law,” Tarriela noted.In a statement, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Manila claimed that the Philippines violated the alleged “temporary special arrangements” made by China in 2016, allowing small Philippine fishing boats in designated waters, except in the lagoon of Panatag Shoal, which China refers to as Huangyan Dao.The alleged agreement also prohibited Philippine government vessels and aircraft from entering within 12 nautical miles of the shoal.The embassy claimed China was “compelled to take necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and maritime rights.”But the DFA stressed the issue on alleged special arrangements between the two countries must be stopped.“We’ve already heard of so many terminologies, we’ve heard the issue of a gentleman’s agreement, we’ve heard of the issue of towing of the BRP Sierra Madre… No less than the president has already spoken regarding it. No one in government will actually act on any agreement that would actually violate our Constitution and deprive us of what is rightfully ours in terms of territory and waters,” Daza said.She added, “We should put a stop because all these talk about special agreements may be muddling the issue and preventing us from realizing what is the key issue here. The key issue here, China is, actually, illegally in our EEZ, and is undertaking dangerous actions, aggressive actions against our vessels.”Despite the latest attack, the Philippine government said it will continue conducting missions, as well as publicizing China’s illegal actions in the West Philippine Sea.

The Philippine flag took a direct hit from the China Coast Guard’s water cannoning during the government’s supply mission to Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Panatag Shoal or Scarborough Shoal, on April 30.

The Philippine flag took a direct hit from the China Coast Guard’s water cannoning during the government’s supply mission to Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Panatag Shoal or Scarborough Shoal, on April 30.

DFA probes Chinese water cannon attack on PH flag

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DFA probes Chinese water cannon attack on PH flag

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 03, 2024 07:35 PM PHT

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West Philippine Sea

China

Philippine Coast Guard

Scarborough Shoal

PCG

DFA

Department of Foreign Affairs

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