The Philippine Navy confirmed that a Chinese vessel used a water cannon on a Philippine ship on Tuesday, October 8, in the Bajo De Masinloc, also known as Scarborough Shoal.
During a press briefing, Rear Admiral Vincent Trinidad, Philippine Navy spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea, said that the incident involved a Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatice Resources (BFAR) vessel.
In a separate statement, BFAR said that three Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) vessels and one People's Liberation Army vessel approached and shadowed two vessels of the agency, BRP Datu Cabylo and BRP Datu Sanday, while conducting a routin resupply mission to Filipino fisherfolk.
BFAR assured that the CCG vessels failed to impede the resupply mission even after they used water cannons on BRP Datu Cabylo and BRP Datu Sanday.
"The CCG vessels also opened and directed their water cannons, but this failed to reach the PH civilian boats," BFAR said.
"Notwithstanding the dangerous maneuvers and opening of water cannons, both BFAR vessels were able to resupply the Filipino fisherfolk in the vicinity of Bajo De Masinloc," the agency added.
BFAR said that BRP Datu Cabylo and BRP Datu Sanday resupplied a total of seven Filipino mother boats, and 16 small fishing boats.
