Julia Christine Botin

Chinese frigate crosses bow, tails Philippine vessel in Bajo de Masinloc

Article (news)

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David Dizon

Bianca Dava

ABS-CBN News

MANILA (2nd Update) — Two Chinese frigates conducted more dangerous maneuvers in the West Philippine Sea after crossing the bow and tailing the BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS35) last Monday, May 5.Video provided by the BRP Emilio Jacinto showed the Chinese PLA-Navy&#x27;s Jiangkai II-class frigate (Type 054A) with BN 573 ignoring radio warnings and crossing the bow of the Philippine vessel approximately 11.8 nautical miles southeast off Bajo de Masinloc.A second video showed another Chinese frigate with BN 554 tailing the BRP Emilio Jacinto.Armed Forces Public Affairs Office chief Xerxes Trinidad said the Chinese frigate BN 554 tailed PS35 at close range, while BN 573 dangerously crossed its bow “in a high-risk maneuver that created the danger of collision.”A China Coast Guard vessel 5403 also attempted to obstruct PS35’s navigational path, Trinidad said.The Armed Forces official said these “reckless actions not only posed a direct threat to the safety of navigation of PS35, but also violated the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.”“The Armed Forces of the Philippines expresses its serious concern over these irresponsible actions by Chinese maritime forces. Such threatening and provocative conduct can lead to misunderstanding that may escalate tensions and impact regional stability,” he said in a statement. Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said the Jacinto did not alter course despite being harassed by Chinese ships.“May direksyon ka. Alam mo naman yung pupuntahan mo, naka-mark naman yung kung saan ka dadaan. Pag nagbago ka dun, hindi mo alam kung ano ang gagawin ng kabila, baka magbanggaan kayo,” Trinidad told reporters in a phone interview.(You are going in one direction. You know where you are going, and your course is marked. If you alter course, you don&#x27;t know how the other ships will react. You might collide with each other)He said the Philippine Navy ship steadily maintained course, adjusting speed and tack just enough to avoid a collision at sea.Bajo de Masinloc is located 124 nautical miles west of Zambales and is well within the Philippines’ 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ).<div>TOLENTINO URGES DIPLOMATIC PROTEST</div>In a statement, Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino, who has been holding hearings on Chinese actions in the West Philippine Sea, said he “strongly condemned” the unprovoked maneuvers of the Chinese ships and called on the Department of Foreign Affairs to file a diplomatic protest.“These actions are not only reckless and dangerous—they are a blatant violation of international maritime norms and an affront to Philippine sovereignty,” he also said.He said the continued presence of Chinese ships and their use of intimidation tactics in the West Philippine Sea &quot;are a clear disregard of the rule of law and an attempt to undermine the peace and security&quot; in the area.Last month, a China Coast Guard vessel “<a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/regions/2025/4/15/china-coast-guard-vessel-dangerously-blocked-pcg-vessel-near-zambales-pcg-1936">dangerously blocked</a>” a Philippine Coast Guard vessel during a maritime patrol near Bajo de Masinloc, according to PCG Spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela.Security think tank SeaLight earlier said China has increased its forces <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/5/6/china-increased-presence-activities-in-bajo-de-masinloc-in-past-year-think-tank-1546">blocking Philippine access to Bajo de Masinloc</a> or Scarborough Shoal in the past 12 months.Ray Powell, director of SeaLight and a former United States Air Force officer, said the organization’s ship tracking has observed more than double the number of individual China Coast Guard (CCG) and Chinese maritime militia (CMM) automatic identification system (AIS) broadcasts around the shoal from May 2024 to April 2025, compared to the previous period.From May 2023 to April 2024, SeaLight tracked 57 CCG and CMM ships producing around 724,000 AIS broadcasts near Bajo de Masinloc. However, over the next 12 months, the “area of intense activity expanded dramatically” with 78 ships and 1,573,000 broadcasts.

A Chinese frigate conducted more dangerous maneuvers in the West Philippine Sea after crossing the bow and tailing the BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS35) last Monday, May 5.

A Chinese frigate conducted more dangerous maneuvers in the West Philippine Sea after crossing the bow and tailing the BRP Emilio Jacinto (PS35) last Monday, May 5.

Chinese frigates cross bow, tail Philippine vessel in Bajo de Masinloc

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Chinese frigates cross bow, tail Philippine vessel in Bajo de Masinloc

David Dizon,

Bianca Dava,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 08, 2025 10:36 AM PHT

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Updated May 08, 2025 12:57 PM PHT

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