PCG informs Chinese embassy of Subic allision

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is seeking the cooperation of the Chinese embassy and the China Maritime Safety Agency in its investigation on the possible involvement of two Chinese commercial vessels in the ramming and sinking of a Filipino fishing boat off Subic in Zambales on July 3.

The incident injured a Filipino fishermen while another – his brother – went missing.

In a statement, the PCG said that based on accounts of witnesses, Chinese bulk carrier vessels Yong Fa Men and Mei Lan Hu reportedly hit Filipino fishing boat FBca John Robert at 62 nautical miles southeast of Sampaloc Point, in Subic, Zambales.

Fisherman Jose Mondoñedo, who was on the fishing boat, is still missing. His brother Robert said the impact of the ramming threw him overboard but he was able to cling to a payao until rescued by passing fishing vessel FBca Irish Mae at 8 a.m. on July 6.

PCG spokesaman Rear Admiral Armand Balilo said the BRP Sindangan continues to scour nearby waters for the missing fisherman.

“We have informed the Chinese Embassy in Manila regarding the incident. We will also write to the China Maritime Safety Agency for their cooperation in the ongoing investigation,” Balilo said.

He added the PCG intends to send innvestigators to China. “Hopefully, they would allow us to conduct an investigation,” he said.

Balilo admitted their investigation would be difficult as “we do not have the ball and would only be relying on the goodwill of the shipping company if they would allow us to investigate.”

“Indeed it would be a difficult task but we would do everything to obtain justice or compensation (for the victims). We would not stop until we are enlightened on what really took place that day,” he added.

He could not say how long the investigation would take. “It will depend on what kind of cooperation we will get from the concerned maritime safety agency,” the PCG official said.

He also explained that the incident happened along a “maritime route” used by several passing vessels.

At the time of the incident, the two Chinese ships reportedly came from China and were headed for Indonesia. As such, the PCG would also be informing the Indonesian Port State Control of its investigation because the ships, Yong Fa Men and Mei Lan Hu, are reportedly in Adang Bay, Indonesia.

“Indonesia might not have been aware of the allision incident, so this is to make them aware.” However, Balilo said Indonesia would not be able to hold on to the two ships, or prevent them from leaving.

No threat

Meanwhile, the Philippine Navy said it is monitoring the Chinese naval carrier strike group detected in the Philippine Sea even if it’s not considered a threat.

In an interview with “Storycon” on One News yesterday, Navy spokesperson Rear Adm. Roy Vincent Trinidad clarified that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy Shandong Carrier Strike Group did not sail inside the Philippine exclusive economic zone.

“It passed by the Philippine Sea, in our eastern seaboard or Pacific side, but outside our EEZ. It was about 230 nautical miles (off the coast of Luzon),” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“It has no violation because it is outside our EEZ… not within Philippine waters,” he added.

Trinidad said the carrier strike group is also not required to alert Philippine authorities since it did not enter the country’s territorial waters.

Still, he said they are monitoring developments since the carrier’s deployment in the area could have an impact on the overall situation in the region.

“We are not alarmed by this, but we are just concerned,” he said. “It is not a threat, but we are monitoring them… We monitor these developments in the region because we are also affected by it.”

He also noted that it is not the first time that Chinese aircraft carriers conducted training exercises, saying they are still not aware if these are already fully operational in terms of capacity to launch and recover aircraft.

While these aircraft carriers may pass through Philippine waters under the concept freedom of navigation and innocent passage, the Navy official maintained that they should not conduct anything that is “against the detriment of the safety and security of the coastal state.”

“So they are not allowed to launch aircraft… or do launch or recover (activities),” he said.

In a post on X, US Ambassador MaryKay Carlson visited the Western Command (WESCOM) headquarters in Palawan yesterday for “coordination meeting” with new Wescom chief Rear Admiral Alfonso Torres Jr. and other top officers.

Describing her meeting with the officials as “great,” Carlson said the “United States and the Philippines are energized and aligned in our efforts to uphold international law and support a free and open Indo-Pacific.” She did not discuss details of the meeting.

Torres has been occupying the top WESCOM post for nearly two months now since replacing Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos in May at the height of the controversy over secret arrangements with China regarding the BRP Sierra Madre. - Michael Punongbayan, Janvic Mateo