A China Coast Guard (CCG) vessel rammed on Friday a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) ship distributing fuel subsidies to Filipino fishermen at the Kalayaan Island Group.

Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said China Coast Guard vessel with vow number 21585 cut across the stern of the BFAR vessel BRP Datu Magat Salamat (MMOV 3015) at a distance of only about 10 meters around 11:04 am

"At 11:13 am, while MMOV 3015 was simply maintaining its course, the Chinese vessel repeated the maneuver and this time made contact, striking the BFAR vessel," he said.

"Even after the collision, CCG-21585 conducted yet another dangerous maneuver, passing dead astern at a distance of only about five meters," he added.

Tarriela said incident occured "approximately 6.36 nautical miles north northwest of Abad Santos Shoal and only about 54 nautical miles from the coast of Palawan — well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

Tarriela said the collision caused damage on the starboard side of the vessel, including the detachment and bent on the main railings; deformation of the metal stanchions and support structures; and the displacement of deck fixtures and equipment, with debris scattered across the deck.

BRP Datu Magat Salamat was deployed to deliver fuel subsidies to Filipino fishermen as part of the government's Kadiwa para sa Bagong Bayaning Mangingisda (KBBM) program in the Kalayaan Island Group.

Tarriela said while approaching around 15 to 20 Filipino fishing vessels for fuel distribution BRP Datu Magat Salamat ran aground in the shallow waters of Hasa-Hasa shoal on Thursday.

Upon receiving the report, the PCG sent BRP Malabrigo from Buliluyan Port, Bataraza, Palawan, with Coast Guard divers on board and pulled BRP Datu Magat Salamat out of the grounding area around 3:34 pm of the same day.

"While the salvage operation was ongoing, BRP Malabrigo also monitored a China Coast Guard aircraft with tail number 11101 conducting apparent aerial surveillance over the grounded BFAR vessel," said Tarriela.

"Following the successful refloating, the vessel's Master decided to continue the mission to other areas to complete the delivery of fuel subsidy to Filipino fishermen," he added.

In a statement on Friday, the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea "condemns in the strongest terms the dangerous actions of the China Coast Guard against the BRP Datu Magat Salamat while it was carrying out a fuel subsidy mission for Filipino fisherfolk this morning in the West Philippine Sea."

"This reckless act is a serious breach of the 1972 Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award, which affirmed the Philippines' sovereign rights within its exclusive economic zone. Such actions undermine safety of life at sea," it stated.

"The NTF-WPS calls on China to cease dangerous and unlawful actions that endanger lives at sea. We will continue to exercise our rights under international law with restraint, professionalism, and firm commitment to the security and dignity of the Filipino people," it added. Robina Asido/PHS