Chinese ships ram Philippine Coast Guard vessels near Escoda Shoal

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has accused the Chinese Coast Guard of performing "unlawful and aggressive maneuvers" after its ships rammed two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) vessels in the West Philippine Sea early Monday.

Two PCG vessels sustained structural damages from colliding with Chinese Coast Guard ships during its supply mission to Patag and Lawak Islands, according to a statement by Jonathan Malaya, spokesperson of the National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea.

The first collision took place at 3:24 a.m. Monday when the BRP Cape Engaño navigating near Escoda Shoal was rammed by a Chinese Coast Guard vessel, creating a 5-inch hole on its deck.

Minutes later, at 3:40 a.m., the BRP Bagacay was hit twice by another Chinese vessel causing minor structural damage to both sides of the ship.

This incident is the latest in a series of confrontations between Filipino and Chinese vessels occurring away from Ayungin Shoal, the submerged reef that is the focus of a deal reached by the Philippines with China in July to de-escalate tensions during resupply missions to the grounded warship stationed there.  

Both collisions took place some 20 nautical miles from Escoda Shoal, a coral reef formation located 140 kilometers west of Palawan and falls within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

"Despite these incidents, both PCG vessels remain committed to and shall proceed with their mission of delivering essential supplies to personnel stationed on Patag and Lawak Islands," Malaya said.

"The PCG stands firm in its responsibility to ensure the safety and security of our maritime domain while addressing any threats to our national interests," he added.

Malaya also called for "restraint and adherence to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and other relevant international laws" to deter another series of escalations and to ensure the safety of all vessels in the region.

Chinese state media earlier reported that Philippine vessels "deliberately collided" with Chinese Coast Guard Vessels "despite multiple warnings from the Chinese side."

Last week, Beijing filed a diplomatic protest against the presence of the BRP Teresa Magbanua near Escoda