THE BRP Datu Magat Salamat could require about P1.4 million in repairs after it was damaged in a collision with a China Coast Guard vessel while assisting Filipino fishermen in the West Philippine Sea on Sept. 18.
National security expert and civil society leader Jose Antonio Goitia said the incident was part of a broader pattern of pressure on Philippine vessels operating in the country’s maritime domain.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel sustained damage on its starboard after China Coast Guard vessel CCG-21585 made contact with it about 54 nautical miles off Palawan.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said the impact bent, broke and detached sections of the vessel’s main starboard-side railings, deformed metal stanchions and support structures, and displaced deck fixtures and equipment, leaving debris scattered across the deck.
The PCG said CCG-21585 first made a close pass behind the BFAR vessel at 11:04 a.m., coming within around 10 meters, before repeating the maneuver at 11:13 a.m. and making contact with the Philippine vessel.
The PCG described the incident as a deliberate ramming. China disputed Manila’s account and blamed the Philippine vessel for the collision.
The Department of Foreign Affairs condemned the incident, saying there was no justification for the China Coast Guard’s actions and that the collision endangered the civilian crew. No injuries were reported.
“The repair cost is only the immediate consequence,” Goitia said. “What should concern every Filipino is that our people are being put at risk simply for exercising lawful rights in our own waters.”
Goitia also cited developments around Bajo de Masinloc (Scarborough Shoal), where Philippine authorities in June confirmed the presence of a Chinese floating platform inside the shoal. The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea later confirmed its removal.
Reports of a longer-term Chinese strategy, including a 15-year horizon and possible additional military infrastructure, have raised concerns over Beijing’s expanding presence in the South China Sea.
The specific claim that China has a timetable for occupying Philippine islands or establishing a fourth military installation at Bajo de Masinloc, however, has not been publicly confirmed by Philippine authorities.
“We cannot wait for China to announce its intentions before we prepare,” Goitia said. “We have to look at what is already happening. If this is part of a longer-term effort to expand control, the Philippines has to stand firm.”
“Our fishermen have the right to fish. Our vessels have the right to operate here. That’s what we’re defending,” he said.
