Camille Naredo

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/File

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

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178643188805620250812-bajo-de-masinloc-wps-pcg-BD918.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/File" width="960"/>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/File</div>MANILA -- The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on Tuesday reiterated the need for professional and lawful conduct at sea, a year after a China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel collided with a Chinese navy ship while pursuing a Philippine patrol vessel near Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.AFP spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad (Reserve) said the safety of personnel and mission accomplishment remain paramount in military operations.&quot;In the conduct of AFP operations, mission accomplishment and safety of the men and women involved are always paramount. It is for these reasons that all our actions have to be professional and within established protocols, and backed up by international law,&quot; Trinidad said in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.Trinidad made the statement as China recently confirmed the deaths of two of its coast guard personnel in the August 11, 2025 incident.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/8/7/china-confirms-sailors-died-in-2025-south-china-sea-collision-1522">READ: China confirms sailors died in 2025 West PH Sea collision while chasing PH boat</a></div>&quot;We reiterate that unsafe and unprofessional maneuvers at sea increase the risk of accidents and endanger lives,&quot; he added.The incident happened when a CCG vessel collided with a People&#x27;s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy warship while pursuing the PCG&#x27;s BRP Suluan near Bajo de Masinloc.At the time, PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said the CCG vessel was pursuing the Philippine ship at high speed when it made a risky maneuver that resulted in the collision.While Beijing acknowledged the confrontation, it did not report any deaths or injuries.<div><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">FROM AUGUST 2025: 2 Chinese vessels collide while chasing Philippine boat in Bajo de Masinloc—PCG</a></div>Nearly a year later, China confirmed the deaths of two CCG personnel, identified as Yi Xinyu, 21, and Cheng Long, 25. They reportedly died on the same day as the collision.China has also designated the two as &quot;martyrs,&quot; saying they died during what it described as a &quot;rights defense operation&quot; in the South China Sea.Asked about China&#x27;s characterization of the two personnel, Trinidad stressed the importance of following established maritime rules.&quot;To prevent any untoward loss of life at sea, all our actions by any nation, any seafaring nation, will have to be professional, will have to be within the bounds of established protocols, such as the rules of the road, COLREGs and other established protocols, and backed up by international law,&quot; he said.COLREGs or the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea set rules intended to prevent collisions and promote safe navigation.The Philippines and China have repeatedly faced confrontations in the South China Sea, particularly around disputed maritime features and waters within the Philippines&#x27; 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

The AFP on Tuesday reiterated the need for professional and lawful conduct at sea, a year after a China Coast Guard vessel collided with a Chinese navy ship while pursuing a Philippine patrol vessel near Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

The AFP on Tuesday reiterated the need for professional and lawful conduct at sea, a year after a China Coast Guard vessel collided with a Chinese navy ship while pursuing a Philippine patrol vessel near Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea.

AFP reiterates need for professional, lawful conduct at sea, a year after Chinese vessels' collision

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AFP reiterates need for professional, lawful conduct at sea, a year after Chinese vessels' collision

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published August 11, 2026 03:06 PM PHT

Read More:

West Philippine Sea

Bajo de Masinloc

Scarborough Shoal

collision

Armed Forces of the Philippines

China Coast Guard

People's Liberation Army Navy

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