Another Chinese research vessel spotted in Cagayan waters

LAOAG, Ilocos Norte -- The Philippine Coast Guard on Tuesday said it has spotted another Chinese research vessel sailing in waters off Cagayan province.

Through the Dark Vessel Detection Technology from Canada, Chinese ship Dian Ke 1 Hao was seen at least 24.84 nautical miles off the town of Sta. Ana.

The foreign ship traversed through the Philippines' exclusive economic zone on April 6 through the northern part of Batanes going down to Cagayan.

"Ang movement niya is dire-diretso naman," said PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela.

(Its movement was continuous.)

He added, however, that there was no clear indication that the ship was conducting marine scientific research.

"We are still not certain kung ang ginagawa lang nila is basically freedom of navigation," Tarriela said. "We haven't really come up with enough information to say that it is also doing a navigational pattern that would constitute a marine scientific research."

(We are still not certain if what they're doing is basically just freedom of navigation.)

It is the second ship that entered the northern EEZ of the Philippines, following the five-day sail of Zhong Shan Da Xue, which created an reversed D navigational pattern off the coast of Itbayat, Batanes — an indication that it could be conducting marine scientific research, according to Tarriela.

READ: 40 Chinese navy, coast guard ships monitored in West Philippine Sea in March

Zhong Shan Da Xue has already left the EEZ as of Tuesday afternoon.

"[S]uch activities of the Chinese government conducting marine scientific research within our own exclusive economic zone, without clearance or authority given by the national government, is a clear violation of UNCLOS," Tarriela said.

Meanwhile, at least two unidentified ships and a tanker were spotted off the coast of Basco, Batanes, near the border of the Philippines and Taiwan, during the PCG's aerial survey on Tuesday morning.

The ships were asked to identify themselves and state their intentions during the radio challenges but did not respond.