By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos
MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has raised concern over the China Coast Guard’s (CCG) dangerous maneuvers in Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, Malacañang said on Tuesday.
“Of course, concerned po ang ating Pangulo sa mga nangyayari (Of course, our President is concerned about what is happening),” Presidential Communications Office and Palace Press Officer Claire Castro told Palace reporters, in the wake of Beijing’s latest aggressive actions in Panatag Shoal.
Castro said Manila would continue to be “professional” and would let the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) address the issue.
“Mini-maintain pa rin po natin ‘yung (We still maintain the) level of professionalism na may kasama pong (that comes with a) fearless spirit of patriotism,” she said.
The PCG on Sunday challenged a CCG vessel that was detected within 83 to 85 nautical miles off Palauig, Zambales, well within the country’s 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone.
CCG 3302 started shadowing the PCG’s 44-meter patrol vessel BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) some 176 km. west northwest of Capones Island, Zambales, according to The Philippine Daily Inquirer’s report.
The PCG vessel was heading to the southwest part of Panatag, also called Bajo de Masinloc, when the incident happened.
The Chinese vessel carried out “reckless and dangerous maneuvers” at a distance of 16 meters dead ahead to the port side of the BRP Cabra, as if it were to ram it, “displaying a blatant disregard for safety,” PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela told the Inquirer. (PNA)
