CTTO/ABS-CBN NEWS
Bajo de Masinloc, Philippines – Two Filipino fishermen sustained third-degree burns following an engine explosion on their fishing boat near Bajo de Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal and Panatag Shoal, on Saturday. This incident was reported by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG).
The explosion occurred around 2 p.m., approximately 10 nautical miles from Bajo de Masinloc, while eight fishermen were aboard the ill-fated vessel. PCG spokesperson Rear Admiral Armand Balilo provided details of the incident but noted that the cause of the explosion remains unknown.
Complicating the rescue efforts, a Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessel blocked the PCG vessel en route to assist the fishermen, issuing a warning that they would arrest the fishermen if they did not cooperate. “Blinock sila ng China Coast Guard no’ng papunta sila do’n sa area. Nagkaroon pa ng dangerous maneuvers,” Balilo told ABS-CBN News in a telephone interview.
In addition to the CCG vessel, a People’s Liberation Army ship was present in the area during the incident. “Actually, nag-offer sila ng help pero parang hindi na sila pumayag kasi alam nila parating na ‘yong Philippine Coast Guard,” Balilo added.
The Scarborough Shoal has been a contentious flashpoint since Beijing seized control from Manila in 2012. This fish-rich reef lies about 240 kilometers west of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon and nearly 900 kilometers from Hainan, the nearest major Chinese landmass.
China claims almost the entire South China Sea, dismissing rival claims from the Philippines and other countries, and ignoring an international ruling that its assertion has no legal basis. To assert its claims, Beijing deploys coast guard and other vessels to patrol the waterway and has transformed several reefs into militarized artificial islands.
The presence of both Chinese Coast Guard and military vessels in the area underscores the ongoing tensions in the region, as the Philippines continues to assert its sovereignty over the disputed waters.