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Philippines resupply boat heavily damaged
Again, using water cannons and executing dangerous maneuvers, the Chinese coast guard made another attempt yesterday to block Filipino vessels from resupplying a military outpost on the BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal, causing “major damage” and triggering condemnation from the US, the European Union and Japan......»»
US condemns China’s latest aggression in WPS
The Philippines reported on Saturday that the Chinese Coast Guard blocked and damaged a Filipino supply boat with water cannons while it was on its way to Ayungin Shoal (Second Thomas Shoal), causing injuries to personnel onboard......»»
China Coast Guard water-cannons anew Ayungin-bound civilian Philippine boat
A China Coast Guard vessel again blasted a Filipino supply boat with water cannons during the latter's attempt to bring much needed supplies to soldiers stationed at the Ayungin (Scarborough) Shoal......»»
Bong Go to PCG: File charges vs commercial vessel involved in ramming incident in South China Sea
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu- Senator Christopher “Bong” Go is asking the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to pursue the filing of charges against the operator of the foreign commercial vessel that hit a Filipino fishing boat northwest of Scarborough Shoal at dawn on Monday, October 2. The incident resulted in the death of three Filipino fishermen. Go,.....»»
On WPS conflict, ‘Trillanes cut deals’
Amid the guessing game started by China on who the unnamed President was who promised to remove the BRP Sierra Madre from Ayungin Shoal, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Juan Ponce Enrile has pointed to a former senator as the culprit. “I haven’t heard from previous presidents that they promised to remove the Sierra Madre, but what I know is that the late President Benigno Aquino III did some backchanneling, and his backdoor agent was former Senator Antonio Trillanes IV,” Enrile said. He added: “Trillanes bypassed then Ambassador Sonia Brady in negotiating with China, and his only credential was he rode in a Philippine Navy boat when he was in the military service.” “The subject of the backchanneling was the Scarborough Shoal standoff, but Trillanes was deceived by the Chinese. The Philippine vessels withdrew from the area of the deadlock, but China stayed put,” he recalled. 2012 Senate skirmish Then-senator Enrile and Trillanes had a confrontation in September 2012 over the government’s covert negotiations with China that Aquino had assigned to Trillanes. In a face-off on the Senate floor, Enrile produced the so-called Brady notes, a report on the discussions between the ambassador and Trillanes on the backchanneling mission. During his several engagements with Chinese officials, Enrile quoted the Brady notes as saying that Trillanes indicated that Filipinos needed more interest in the conflicting claims in the region. Enrile said the Brady notes stated that Aquino was not made fully aware of the details of Trillanes’s actions, and there was a point when the President did not know the talks were suspended for two weeks and that Trillanes was acting on his own. “And for whom? Whose interest was he serving?” Enrile asked. While admitting that it was the prerogative of Aquino as Commander-in-Chief to resort to backchannel talks, designating Trillanes was a huge mistake, he said. “Trillanes should have been discreet, and he should have brought along an embassy representative to record the event. Trillanes thought he was James Bond. That should not have been allowed,” Enrile said. “A person entrusted by the President with a mission must first exercise discretion. When you go to a country to deal with a foreign power, you must notify the embassy,” he said. “Trillanes should have notified the embassy to alert them that he was there on a mission, and he should have brought along at least one responsible official,” he added. He continued: “Everybody should have known that international law already provided the way to settle the dispute, which was the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, but which China did not respect.” “China based its claims not on international law but on its might. We should have a counter-balancing force,” according to Enrile. “We should not rely solely on the assistance of other nations; we should keep building up our military assets.” “We should also be prepared, and one way to do that is to require all young Filipinos to undergo training to defend the country.” “Only Filipinos can fight for their country; nobody else can do the fighting for you,” Enrile stressed. False narrative Meanwhile, China was accused of using deception in its sea maneuvers when it tried to block a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal on 7 September. Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesperson, Col. Medel Aguilar, at the weekly Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, said the Philippine Navy offered to help a Chinese rubber boat in distress near Ayungin Shoal. “Our troops offered assistance, but the Chinese refused and another boat came to their rescue,” Aguilar said. He said one of the Chinese rigid hull inflatable boats had gotten entangled in a fishing line while it was tailing the Philippine vessels heading to Ayungin to resupply the troops there. Aguilar said that while the Chinese boat’s refusal to accept aid from Philippine forces was expected, what surprised the troops was Beijing’s radio call where they blamed the Filipinos for the incident. “They had the guts to challenge our radio message. ‘Philippine Coast Guard, because of your maneuvers, the Chinese Coast Guard vessel came into problem,’” he quoted the Chinese as saying. Aguilar said this was another narrative the Chinese would tell their people. “After this incident, they will come up with their narrative to tell their people about what happened,” Aguilar said. “We don’t want the truth to be drowned out by what really happened,” he added. Misplaced bullying Aguilar described the China Coast Guard’s behavior as “misplaced bullying” amid its continued aggression in Philippine territorial waters. “The CCG is a misplaced bully in the WPS,” Aguilar said. Meanwhile, Commodore Jay Tarriela, PCG spokesperson, said several CCG ships and maritime militia vessels tried to block the Philippine vessels and stop the resupply mission. “It is very important for the government, for us, to be more transparent about what is happening in the West Philippine Sea,” he said. “We face the media; we give them the true story. The media will play a very important role in curtailing this fake news that spreads every time the Chinese release their narratives.” He said China has been pushing the narrative that the Philippines is acting on behalf of the United States. Ayungin Shoal, which is part of the Kalayaan island group, is an integral part of the Philippines and is well within its exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, over which the country has sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction. The BRP Sierra Madre has been grounded on Ayungin Shoal since 1999, where it stands as a symbol of Philippine sovereignty and on which a dozen Filipino Marines and sailors are holding the fort. The post On WPS conflict, ‘Trillanes cut deals’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
China using false narrative — AFP
The China Coast Guard is using a false narrative in its recent dangerous maneuvers in trying to block a resupply mission to Ayungin Shoal on 7 September, the Armed Forces of the Philippines said Saturday. At the weekly Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, AFP spokesperson Colonel Medel Aguilar said the Philippine Navy offered to help a Chinese rubber boat in distress in Ayungin Shoal only to be scorned and blamed for the incident. “Troops offered assistance to help China, but China refused.. and another boat came to their rescue,” Aguilar said. He narrated that one of China’s Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats was entangled in a fishing line while it was tailing Philippine vessels heading to Ayungin Shoal to resupply troops there. Aguilar said while the Chinese boat's refusal to accept aid from Philippine forces was expected, what surprised the troops was Beijing’s radio call that blamed Filipinos for the incident. “They still have the guts to challenge our radio message: ‘Philippine Coast Guard because of your maneuvers, the Chinese Coast Guard vessel came into problem,’” he said. Aguilar called these as “another narrative that they will tell their people." “After this incident, they will come up with their own narrative to tell their people about what happened,” Aguilar said. “We don’t want the truth to be drowned by what happened,” he said. Aguilar also described the CCG's behavior as "misplaced bullying" amid its continued aggression in the country’s territorial waters. “The CCG is a misplaced bully at the WPS,” Aguilar said. This is the third resupply mission after the 5 August incident when the CCG used water cannons against the PCG fleet conducting a similar mission. Another resupply mission was conducted and completed on 22 August. Despite the efforts of the Chinese vessels, the AFP said the resupply mission was successful. “As far as the AFP is concerned, we always refer to existing laws in defining what is our maritime zone right now,” Aguilar said. On the other end, Commodore Jay Tarriela, spokesperson of the PCG, said several CCG ships and maritime militia vessels tried to block the PCG ships to stop the resupply mission. “It is very important for the government… for us to be more transparent on what is happening in the West Philippine Sea,” he said. “We face the media, we give them the true story. The media will play a very important role in curtailing this fake news that spreads every time they release these narratives,” Tarriella said. He added that China, which has been illegally claiming almost the entire South China Sea, has been pushing the narrative that the Philippines is acting on behalf of the US when it comes to the West Philippine Sea issue. Ayungin Shoal is part of the Kalayaan Island Group and is an integral part of the Philippines, as well as the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, over which the country has sovereignty, sovereign rights, and jurisdiction. The BRP Sierra Madre has been grounded at the Ayungin Shoal since 1999 where a dozen marines and sailors are aboard the ship, which has become a symbol of Philippine sovereignty in the offshore territory. The post China using false narrative — AFP appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Bong Go pushes for Coast Guard modernization following Romblon tragedy
Senator Bong Go is demanding accountability and pushing for a modernization program to strengthen the Philippine Coast Guard after the recent maritime tragedy off the shores of Corcuera, Romblon, where a 55-year-old woman tragically lost her life. On 5 August, MB King Sto. Niño 7 became half-submerged near Corcuera and one of its passengers managed to contact the local PCG station to report the situation. "Unang-una, managot po ang dapat managot dito at sino talaga ang may kasalanan. Tuwing may lumulubog, tuwing may disaster na nangyayari, sisihan ang nangyayari,” Go said in an interview on 7 August, after distributing assistance to tricycle drivers in Pasay City. Go also highlighted the importance of strengthening the capabilities of the PCG to better safeguard maritime welfare and security. In line with this, Go filed Senate Bill No. 2112, or the PCG Modernization Bill, which was scheduled for hearing the following day. "Our Coast Guard serves as the frontline defense against threats like smuggling, terrorism. Malaki po ang kanilang trabaho. Additionally, they provide invaluable assistance during natural disasters and emergencies," Go said. The proposed bill seeks to upgrade PCG’s assets and resources. Its main goal is to upgrade the coast guard's vessels, aircraft, and equipment to meet international standards. Such improvements are expected to significantly enhance response time during maritime incidents and emergencies. "At dito po sa nangyari sa paglubog, ay dapat makasuhan po ang may kasalanan,” Go said. Go's pronouncements come amidst not only the Romblon incident, but also a ferry disaster in Rizal province on 27 July, where a boat capsized due to severe winds, resulting in 27 deaths. The post Bong Go pushes for Coast Guard modernization following Romblon tragedy appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Thirteen Senegalese migrants die in boat capsize off Morocco
At least 13 Senegalese migrants from the same town died when their boat sank off the coast of Morocco late last week, the town's mayor told AFP on Thursday. The news comes amid heightened attention on the Atlantic migration route -- from the coast of West Africa to the Spanish Canary Islands -- after several boats have sunk or gone missing there in recent weeks. Oumar Cisse, mayor of Rufisque, near the capital Dakar, told AFP 13 residents of the town had perished. He said he had spoken to survivors who told him a total of 18 people had died. "They were in a 63-person pirogue that capsized," he said, referring to the long wooden fishing boats often used for irregular migrant crossings. "The survivors are being looked after in the municipality of Dakhla", in southern Morocco, he added. Cisse said he was working with local authorities to repatriate survivors. He said six people from his town had also been hospitalised. Moroccan authorities did not confirm the information. Senegal's President Macky Sall "paid tribute to the memory of those who died in the recent accidents at sea", according to a government statement late Thursday. He called on government to intensify controls at potential departure sites, as well as to deploy more "measures of surveillance, awareness-raising and support for youth" and reinforce public programs that "combat clandestine emigration". On Tuesday, Morocco's navy said it had "rescued" nearly 900 irregular migrants -- 400 of whom were in its territorial waters -- in a one-week period this month. Most were from sub-Saharan Africa. At least 14 people died eight days ago when a pirogue capsized off the Senegalese city of Saint-Louis, near the border with Mauritania. NGOs regularly report fatal shipwrecks in Moroccan, Spanish and international waters, with unofficial estimates putting the death toll in the dozens, if not hundreds. The post Thirteen Senegalese migrants die in boat capsize off Morocco appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
5 people injured in small boat fire in southern Philippines
MANILA, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Friday said that five people sustained burns after their motorboat caught fire in the waters off Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines. The coast guard said the accident occurred at about 8 p.m. local time on Thursday. The boat, carrying eight people, 100 liters of gasoline, and various essential goods, caught fire while sailing to Basilan, an i.....»»
Parents of Syrians missing in Greece boat tragedy ‘pray day and night’
In war-torn Syria, parents of teenagers missing in a shipwreck off the Greek coast are clinging to hope their children might be alive, days after the tragedy. A fishing boat overloaded with migrants capsized and sank off Greece's Peloponnese peninsula on Wednesday, killing at least 78 people. While the exact number of passengers on the rusty trawler is unknown, hundreds are feared missing, and relatives and activists have told AFP at least 141 Syrians were aboard. Iyad from Jassem in the southern province of Daraa, the cradle of Syria's 12-year civil war, said his 19-year-old son Ali was still unaccounted for. "I have had no news of my son. I haven't spoken to him. I haven't heard his voice," said Iyad, who works at a school and declined to provide his surname. "His mother hasn't stopped crying for three days." The 47-year-old said he had heard of two Greek reports -- one listing his son among the survivors and another among the dead. "I still have hope that he will be among the survivors," Iyad told AFP by telephone on Saturday. "We are praying to God day and night." A better life The teenager was looking for a better life in Libya, his father said, and had traveled there by plane from Damascus. "He told us he wanted to work in a restaurant" and had planned to send money to help the family, Iyad added. "We didn't know he wanted to take a boat," he said. "If we'd known, we wouldn't have allowed him to go." Activists at the Daraa Martyrs Documentation Office told AFP on Saturday that 106 people aboard the trawler were from the country's south, mainly from Daraa province, where they said the "living and security situation... is absolutely unbearable". Only 34 so far were known to have survived, they added. A blind 15-year-old boy and his 28-year-old sister from Daraa province were also among those missing, their uncle told AFP on Friday, declining to be identified for security reasons. Daraa province was the cradle of the 2011 uprising against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, but it returned to regime control in 2018. Iyad said Ali's uncle in Germany had traveled to Greece to search for the boy, but "it's like looking for a needle in a haystack". "For us, he is missing. We have not mourned and we will not mourn until we are sure what has happened," he said. "If he is found alive, we'll bring him back to Syria. I don't want my son to be far away from me... not even for one more second. "We borrowed a large amount of money to send him to Libya to work -- not to die." Fleeing death, finding death In Kobane in Syria's Kurdish-held north, Mohammed Mohammed said he too was awaiting news of the fate of his 15-year-old son Diyar. "Every day, hope is fading of seeing my son again," Mohammed, a tire repairman, told AFP by telephone late Friday. Diyar "left because the situation here is terrible", the 48-year-old said. Kobane became a symbol of victory over the Islamic State group after US-backed Kurdish forces drove the jihadists out in 2015. But the city, also known as Ain al-Arab, is in the crosshairs of Ankara, which wants Kurdish forces to withdraw from frontier areas. Turkey has carried out deadly raids in the area and threatened a new ground offensive. Mohammed said the family lived less than one kilometer (little more than half a mile) from the Turkish border. Diyar's "dream was to go to Germany to be with my brother who lives there", he said. "Everyone wants to leave," he said, adding Diyar had been with four friends. At least 35 people aboard the boat were from Kurdish-held areas in Syria's north, a relative told AFP on Friday. Mohammed said his brother had traveled to Greece in the hope of finding Diyar but was denied entry to hospitals where he had hoped to speak to survivors. "People are fleeing death, but finding death" along the way, he said. The post Parents of Syrians missing in Greece boat tragedy ‘pray day and night’ appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Intensify search for missing passengers — Sulu LGU
ZAMBOANGA CITY — The Sulu provincial government on Tuesday has called on concerned agencies to intensify the search and retrieval of missing passengers of the Ill-fated M/V Lady Mary Joy 3 which caught fire near the coast of Baluk-Baluk island in Mohammad Adjul, Basilan on 29 March. Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan believed that much has yet to be done and lamented that government authorities who were involved in the search and rescue operation have not exerted much effort in their search and rescue operation. “I think not so much has been done by the search and rescue operatives to address the recent sea tragedy involving the Ill-fated M/V Lady Mary Joy 3 of the Aleson Shipping Lines,” Tan said. “I hope other government agencies can step in and conduct an in-depth investigation on the tragedy,” he added. Tan said the provincial government believed that 19 more passengers are still missing and authorities should continue their search for the missing passengers, all not listed in the boat list of passenger manifest. It was reported that a total of 197 passengers were rescued, 16 of them died in the incident and were identified while 17 charred bodies were recovered inside the vessel accommodation section and remained unidentified. Families of the 19 passengers continue to claim that their relatives boarded and bought their ticket on board the vessel on that fateful night. According to the governor, the Sulu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council are checking daily with families for an update on the missing member of their family. Tan also lamented that government agencies tasked to investigate the incident have different numbers of reported missing persons. As this developed, senior officials of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao led by BARMM Deputy Minister for Island Provinces Albakil Jikiri visited Tan to seek update on the search effort made by authorities to account for the missing passengers of the ferry. Jikiri was accompanied to Jolo, Sulu by Hja Nur-Ainee Misuari Lim, deputy minister MSSD-BARMM, Nurredha Misuari, member of Parliament and Tarhata Ibrahim Miisuari, wife of Moro National Liberation Front founding chair Nur Misuari. Tan said close to 100 lawyers, most of them Tausug and from Zamboanga City, have joined other lawyers who expressed their willingness to assist the victims of the sea tragedy in seeking justice for the death of their loved ones. The post Intensify search for missing passengers — Sulu LGU appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Ill-fated vessel death toll at 33
ZAMBOANGA CITY — Authorities on Thursday reported that the death toll on the Ill-fated M/V Lady Mary Joy 3 which caught fire near the coast of Baluk-Baluk island in Mohammad Adjul, Basilan on 29 March is now at 33. This comes after the half-body cadaver recovered on 9 April by the search and rescue team at the coast of Sitio Kawkan, Barangay Sulutan Matangal in Mohammad Adjul has been identified by a member of his family. Basilan Province Information Officer Richard Falcatan formally announced the identity of the half-body cadaver — a certain Private First Class Marion Malda who is a member of the Philippine Army and assigned to Sulu province. According to Falcatan, the identity of the remains was confirmed by Malda’s brother through secondary identification, as the half-body cadaver was wearing maong denim pants. “The pants on the recovered cadaver have led the brother to identify it as that of his brother,” Falcatan said. Authorities conducting the search and rescue operation have so far recovered 33 cadavers of passengers of the ill-fated M/V Lady Mary Joy 3. They were identified as Arsaic Damil, Nuripa Hamid, Nasara Jamalul, Rashiv Khan Jamalul, Anacleto B. Ponollera and Ponollera, all from Zamboanga City. Abdulkalam Alih, Aleeya Bungso, Jack Bungso Jr., Hussin Hamid, Nafiesa Muksan, Fausia Hasiron and Anhar Yap Julambri, from Sulu province and Fadzrina Lasal from Isabela City and Malda. Seventeen more charred bodies retrieved by authorities inside the M/V Lady Mary Joy 3 which were brought to this city have remained unidentified at the morgue of Vila Funeral Homes here. To recall, the M/V Lady Marry Joy 3 of the Aleson Shipping Lines caught fire off the waters of Baluk-Baluk Island in Hadji Muhtamad town in Basilan province while en route to Jolo, Sulu. The vessel has 195 boat passengers listed in the boat passengers list and 35 crew members. However, many who were rescued and died during the incident were not listed in the passenger manifest of the vessel. The provincial government of Sulu has allotted over P1 million in government funds to serve as aid for the victims of the sea tragedy. Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan said the Sulu government extended financial aid of P5,000 to each of the 69 survivors who survive the ordeal, P20,000 to each of the 10 survivors admitted to the hospitals, and P50,000 to each of the 13 identified passengers who perished in the incident. The post Ill-fated vessel death toll at 33 appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Boat capsizes off Zamboanga; 1 dead, 6 rescued
A motorboat capsized in the waters off the coast of this city yesterday, leaving one passenger dead......»»
Fishing boat capsizes off Zamboanga; 11 rescued
Eleven fishermen were rescued when their boat capsized off the coast of this city amid bad weather spawned by the inter-tropical convergence zone on Wednesday, according to the Philippine Coast Guard......»»
Island hopping boat sinks off Cordova coast, 35 rescued
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Philippines — Fisherfolks in Mactan Island especially in Olango Island are reminded not to go out to sea due to the inclement weather brought about by Typhoon Karding, which is affecting the Luzon area on Sunday, Sept. 25, and Monday, Sept. 26. Fred Anlocotan, head of the Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management […] The post Island hopping boat sinks off Cordova coast, 35 rescued appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
P10.6 million smuggled cigarettes seized off Zamboanga
A boat loaded with 300 cases of assorted smuggled cigarettes worth P10.6 million was intercepted off the coast of Zamboanga City on Thursday......»»
PNP boat rescues 13 distressed passengers off the coast of Puerto Princesa
Thirteen distressed passengers of a stranded motorized boat were rescued by seaborne police operatives off the coast of Puerto Princesa City on Sunday night. According to police report, a motorized indigenous boat M/B JKJ skippered by Joemar Mueden with 12 local tourists on board was stranded due to engine trouble and rough seas along the […] The post PNP boat rescues 13 distressed passengers off the coast of Puerto Princesa appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Fisherman dies after ro-ro vessel rams into his boat in Negros city
BACOLOD City – A fisherman died after his fishing boat capsized after being hit by an unidentified roll-on roll-off (ro-ro) cargo vessel in the waters off Sitio Pangayuhan 1, Barangay Washington, Escalante City, Negros Occidental, on Tuesday. A body of a fisherman wrapped in a blanket was brought to their house, as his family mourns his death at Barangay Washington, Escalante City, Negros Occidental Tuesday. (Photo courtesy of PCG-Negros Occidental / MANILA BULLETIN) The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) – Negros Occidental identified the fatality as Je-ar Caspe, 29, of the said village. PCG-Negros Occidental Commander Jansen Benjamin said the victim and his father went fishing late Monday night when the incident happened. The report said the Caspes were on board separate boats when a ro-ro vessel reportedly rammed into Je-Ar’s boat that caused multiple injuries on the victim. The victim’s father witnessed the incident but he could not identify which vessel it was, Benjamin said. He retrieved his son’s body and brought it to their house, then reported the incident to authorities. Benjamin said they will conduct an investigation to determine the vessel operator responsible behind the maritime incident......»»
PCG-7 rescues 4 men from capsized boat, reminds fishers to be vigilant about weather
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Fishermen and owners of motor boats are encouraged to be vigilant about the erratic weather conditions when they set out to sea. Commander Alvin Dalagea, Philippine Coast Guard in Central Visayas spokesperson, gave this reminder after they rescued four men from a capsized motor boat off the waters of Camotes Island […] The post PCG-7 rescues 4 men from capsized boat, reminds fishers to be vigilant about weather appeared first on Cebu Daily News......»»
Hope for more survivors from Baltimore bridge collapse fades
BALTIMORE – The coast guard announced on Wednesday that hope of finding more survivors of the Baltimore bridge collapse has dimmed, and efforts have switched to searching for the bodies of the missing persons, as well as seeking more answers as to why a container ship crashed into the span. The coast guard announced on.....»»