Philippine Coast Guard’s BRP Cabra Monitors Chinese Vessels Out of Philippine Waters

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has been actively monitoring the movements of two Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) ships, identified as vessels 3301 and 3104, within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). The PCG’s vessel, BRP Cabra, was tasked with shadowing these ships and challenging their unauthorized presence through radio communications until they exited Philippine waters. This incident was reported on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, by Commodore Jay Tarriela, the PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS). According to data from Canada’s Dark Vessel Detection System, the CCG vessels were tracked moving away from the Philippines, with their last known positions being 61 and 81 nautical miles from Guangdong Province, China, respectively. Tarriela emphasized that the presence of these CCG vessels in the Philippine EEZ was a violation of the Philippine Maritime Zones Act, the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the 2016 Arbitral Award. The PCG remains committed to protecting the nation’s maritime rights and interests in the WPS without escalating tensions. Additionally, the PCG’s efforts have also resulted in the retreat of another CCG vessel, the ‘monster ship’ CCG 5901, to a distance of 117 nautical miles from the Zambales coastline, after it was initially spotted 54 nautical miles from Zambales on January 4.