Defense dept sticks to version of sea incident

THE Department of National Defense (DND) maintained that the Chinese coast guard “rudely took” what is believed to be part of a rocket debris that Philippine naval forces recovered in the waters of Pagasa Island near Palawan.

DND Officer in Charge Jose Faustino Jr. said Monday the department is standing by its version of the incident after Beijing issued a statement denying that its coast guard forcibly took the object being towed by a Philippine naval vessel.

The Chinese foreign ministry said that the object was taken by its coast guard after a “friendly consultation” with Philippine authorities.

But Faustino strongly denied it. “We stand by the accounts of our personnel in the area that, contrary to the narrative of the Chinese side, the debris being towed by a Philippine vessel to Naval Station Emilio Liwanag for inspection was rudely taken by personnel from CCGV5203,” he said, referring to the Philippine Coast Guard vessel.

Philippine authorities are also investigating the reported explosions, allegedly artillery fire, that occurred after the incident.

Faustino said the DND is waiting for the official reports on the consecutive incidents near Pag-asa Island, which have rekindled tensions in the West Philippine Sea.

“The situation is still developing; thus, we cannot provide additional details at this time,” he said.

Faustino said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and other government agencies are now in the area to ensure the safety of Pag-asa residents.

“Events such as these are exactly why we continue to advocate for open lines of communication and dialogue mechanisms. We support the diplomatic efforts of Philippine government agencies to engage our Chinese counterparts to address the incident,” he said.

In its own narrative of the incident, the Chinese embassy in Manila said that at around 8 a.m. Sunday, “a China Coast Guard ship found an unidentified floating object in the waters off the Nanshan Islands, which was later identified as the wreckage of the fairing of a rocket recently launched by China.”

The Nanshan is part of the Spratly chain of islands that is being claimed by both the Philippines and China.

“Before the China Coast Guard found the said floating object some Philippine Navy personnel already retrieved and towed it,” the embassy said.

“After friendly consultation, the Philippine side returned the floating object to the Chinese side on the spot,” it added.

In its own version, the AFP Western Command said a team from Naval Station Emilio Liwanag (NSEL) retrieved the floating object and was towing it back to the station.

The team “noticed that China Coast Guard vessel with Bow Number 5203 was approaching their location and subsequently blocked their pre-plotted course twice,” Wescom commander Vice Adm. Alberto Carlos said.

Carlos said the Chinese coast guard vessel “deployed its Rigid Hull Inflatable Boat” and “forcefully retrieved said floating object by cutting the towing line attached to the NSEL rubber boat.”

Not long after, Pag-asa residents said they heard several explosions from one of China’s artificial islands nearby.