Chinese vessels fire water cannon at resupply ship; top security meeting set Monday: task force
A resupply ship on a rotation and resupply mission to a grounded ship in Ayungin Shoal took '' heavy damages'', the military said, from Chinese Coast Guard which fired water cannons and conducted dangerous manuevers against it and Philippine Coast Guard vessels early Saturday.
National Security Adviser Eduardo Ano called for a high-level security meeting tentatively set on Monday to discuss the next actions and recommend these to President Ferdinand Marcos. China once more blamed the Philippines for action, saying Manila should ''stop its infringement and provocation.''
The National Taskforce for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) said water cannons damaged resupply ship Unaizah May 4 and injured some crew members.
In a statement, the task force said the China Coast Guard together with Chinese Maritime Militia “acted recklessly and dangerously” against the PCG vessels and Unaizah May 4(UM4).
It added the water cannon attack against UM4 resulted in severe damage to the vessel and injuries to the Filipino crew.
The West Philippine Sea task force said that two PCG vessels were able to get through the Chinese Coast Guard and maritime militia vessels and were able to provide aid and relief to the disabled UM4 and crew.
To complete the mission, the grounded BRP Sierra Madre deployed rigid hull inflatable boats to UM4 to ferry the personnel to be rotated in, the task force said.
According to the NTF-WPS, China was seen to be placing a floating barrier at the northwestern entrance of the lagoon of Ayungin Shoal as part of its attempts to block and impede the mission.
Despite these attempts, the mission was “accomplished” and the PCG and UM4 were able to leave Ayungin Shoal by around 12:09 am, nearly eight hours since the harassment and dangerous maneuvers by the Chinese vessel, the task force said.
“The Philippines shall continue to act peacefully and responsibly, consistent with international law, particularly UNCLOS and the legally binding 2016 Arbitral Award. Peace and stability cannot be achieved without due regard for the legitimate, well-established, and legally settled rights of others,” the West Philippine Sea task force said in a statement.
“The Philippines will not be deterred by veiled threats or hostility from exercising our legal rights over our maritime zones, including Ayungin Shoal which forms part of our EEZ and continental shelf. We demand that China demonstrate in deeds and not in words that it is a responsible and trustworthy member of the international community,” it added. Jaspearl Tan/DMS
