Marilyn Cahatol

A China Coast Guard vessel fires water cannon at a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship, August 11, 2025 near the Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal. Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News

Article (news)

WEST PH SEA

Paige Javier

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175531941979520250812-bajo-de-masinloc-wps-pcg-BD921.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="A China Coast Guard vessel fires water cannon at a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship, August 11, 2025 near the Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal. Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">A China Coast Guard vessel fires water cannon at a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship, August 11, 2025 near the Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal. <em>Bianca Dava, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA – Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela refuted the statement of China&#x27;s Ministry of National Defense following the <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/11/2-chinese-ships-collide-after-chasing-philippine-vessel-in-bajo-de-masinloc-pcg-1102">collision </a>between People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and China Coast Guard&#x27;s (CCG) vessels in Bajo de Masinloc on August 11.</p><p>China Ministry of National Defense Spokesperson Jiang Bin on Friday claimed &quot;multiple PCG vessels illegally intruded into territorial waters of China.&quot;</p><p>He said Chinese Coast Guard vessels took measures &quot;in accordance with law&quot; to block the vessels, but the Philippines made &quot;dangerous maneuvers.&quot;</p><p>&quot;During the incident, a PCG vessel made dangerous maneuvers such as high-speed changing and sharp turns to cross the bow of Chinese vessels, which created complex and close quarters situation at sea. Such acts severely violated China’s sovereignty, rights and interests, seriously endangered the safety of the Chinese personnel, and seriously undermined peace and stability in the South China Sea,&quot; Jiang Bin said. </p><p>The ministry spokesperson even called on the Philippines to halt its actions.</p><p>&quot;We urge the Philippine side to stop its infringements and provocations immediately. The Chinese side reserves the right to take necessary countermeasures to resolutely safeguard territorial sovereignty and maritime rights and interests of the country,&quot; he added.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/13/pcg-refuses-to-use-water-cannon-as-china-may-justify-next-level-of-aggression-1830">PCG &#x27;refuses&#x27; to use water cannon as China may &#x27;justify&#x27; next level of aggression</a></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/oV3LPqvW-EA?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><p>Tarriela denied the claims, reiterating the Philippines is not responsible for the incident and not doing anything amid tension in the disputed wars.</p><p>He reiterated the PCG is not doing anything amid tension in disputed waters.</p><p>&quot;It’s not us who is provoking anybody. It’s not the Philippine Coast Guard or Philippine government that escalates tension the tension in the West Philippine Sea. The reason why tension is rising is because of their dangerous actions and illegal presence within our exclusive economic zone,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;If there is one country that is increasing tension in the South China Sea, not just in the West Philippine Sea, that is the People’s Republic of China. Because they are deploying their China Coast Guard vessels and even their PLA Navy warships and this is the source of the tension,&quot; Tarriela added. </p><p>He said they have not received any official reports from the People&#x27;s Republic of China, Chinese Coast Guard nor the Chinese Embassy on reported injuries or deaths from the collision.</p><p>The PCG Spokesperson also responded to a statement of a Chinese maritime expert that the Philippines should pay damages for the collision.</p><p>&quot;Paano tayo magbabayad sila nga nagbangaan &#x27;di ba? I mean, parang di ko  din ma-gets yung statement na ganyan,&quot; Tarriela said.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/15/pcg-2-chinese-vessels-involved-in-collision-bound-for-mainland-1900">PCG: 2 Chinese vessels involved in collision bound for mainland</a></div><p>&quot;It’s actually their recklessness and their dangerous maneuver that resulted to collision. We are not going to pay accountability for such incident. It is their own doing, it is their illegal actions that resulted in such collision,&quot; he added.</p><p>The DFA reiterated its demand for compensation from China for the damage caused by the clash between Chinese and Philippine vessels near Spratly Islands last June 2024.</p><p>Tarriela said they have not received any official reports from the People&#x27;s Republic of China, Chinese Coast Guard nor the Chinese Embassy on reported injuries or deaths from the collision.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/15/chinese-coast-guard-ship-seen-near-manila-bay-tailing-pcg-vessel-bound-for-bajo-de-masinloc-1215">Chinese coast guard ship spotted near Manila Bay, seen tailing PCG vessel bound for Bajo de Masinloc</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>PCG UNABLE TO LAUNCH DRONES</strong></div><p>Tarriela shared that for the first time ever, the PCG was unable to launch its drones during the August 11 collision.</p><p>He said they always fly drones for documentation, especially when they are subjected to dangerous maneuvers.  </p><p>&quot;This time around we were not able to launch drones. It&#x27;s because we believe the Chinese warships were blocking our drones to take off. So hindi tayo nakapagpalipad ng drone para makuhanan yung insidente na ito and to document the illegal actions of the People&#x27;s Republic of China,&quot; he said. </p><p>&quot;This is the first time I&#x27;m disclosing it to the public that we were not able to launch our drones. It’s because we are suspecting that the Chinese have jammed the signal for us to bring our drones out to take videos and photos,&quot; Tarriela added. </p><p>The PCG spokesperson pointed out the China side has not released its own video or photos of the collision.  </p><p>When asked why China would jam the signals of the PCG&#x27;s drones, Tarriela believes this is to prevent the public release of the aggressions. </p><p>&quot;Obviously the intent of the People’s Republic of China in jamming the signal of our drones is because kung tayo nga ang intention natin is to get photos and videos, the more na alam din ng China this information will be released to the public. Buti nalang na-jam nila kungdi na-document natin,&quot; he said. Following the incident, he said their priority is to find a solution to this problem.</p><p>&quot;These are things we are evaluating, how are we still going to launch our drones. And how are we going to prevent People’s Republic of China from jamming the signal so once again we can use our drones,&quot; Tarriela said. </p><p>&quot;Our major communication onboard our vessels are secure enough... These are things that we always consider to make sure our communication capability will not be paralyzed or jammed. Pero ang concern lang natin ngayon is just the drones,&quot; he explained.</p><p>The spokesperson likewise said the distribution of aid to Filipino fisherfolk near Bajo de Masinloc was not staged, contrary to China&#x27;s claims.</p><p>The August 11 collision caused heavy damage to CCG ship&#x27;s bow.</p><p>According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the PCG offered to provide medical aid and tow the damaged Chinese vessel out of the area but received no response.</p><p>The DFA earlier <a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/world/2025/8/15/ph-not-responsible-for-chinese-ship-collision-in-bajo-de-masinloc-dfa-1130">said </a>the Philippines bears no responsibility in the collision, which was an &quot;unfortunate outcome but not one caused by our actions.&quot;</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/8/12/pcg-lauds-bravery-of-crew-in-latest-encounter-with-china-ships-1217">PCG lauds &#x27;bravery&#x27; of crew in latest encounter with China ships in West PH Sea</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zpNubAGmAWo?si=cTQigdg2XZLPSjnS" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela refuted the statement of China's Ministry of National Defense following the collision between People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and China Coast Guard's (CCG) vessels in Bajo de Masinloc on August 11.</p>

Philippine Coast Guard Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela refuted the statement of China's Ministry of National Defense following the collision between People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy and China Coast Guard's (CCG) vessels in Bajo de Masinloc on August 11.

PCG tells China: 'It's not us who is provoking anybody'

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PCG tells China: 'It's not us who is provoking anybody'

Paige Javier,

ABS-CBN News

Published Aug 16, 2025 01:06 PM PHT

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Updated Aug 16, 2025 03:33 PM PHT

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China

Bajo de Masinloc

Collision

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West Philippine Sea

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