US Navy ship spotted near Palawan high seas

A United States (US) Navy ship was spotted near Palawan high seas, a day before two China Coast Guard (CCG) vessels water cannoned a Philippine boat on a resupply mission to BRP Sierra Madre in Ayungin Shoal. 

According to Joseph Morong’s report on “24 Oras,” the sighting does not concern the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Command. 

“That’s the usual freedom of navigation patrols,” said AFP Western Command Commander Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos. 

According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), any country can have freedom of navigation in the high seas because no one can claim and own it. 

“The United States will fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows,” said US Embassy spokesperson Kanishka Gangopadhyay. 

The National Task Force for the West Philippine Sea (NTF-WPS) reported on Tuesday that Philippine vessel BRP Sindangan sustained “superficial structural damage” after dangerous blocking maneuvers by a CCG.

Another CCG vessel “caused a minor collision” with Unaizah May 4 ” before CCG ships simultaneously fired water cannons at the Philippine vessel.

At the time of the incident, the Western Command said five CCG ships were in the area as well as 12 Chinese militia vessels and three Chinese Navy ships.  An unknown aircraft was also hovering in the area.

“Normally we only see Chinese Coast Guard vessels during resupply missions. The Chinese warships they normally stay out of range so to speak but yesterday we were surprised to see six Chinese warships in the area,” Carlos said.

“We were clearly outnumbered,” he added. —Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News