A China Coast Guard vessel off Pangasinan. Philippine Coast Guard/Jay Tarriela/X

MANILA — Beijing may be aiming to deplete Manila’s resources by sending coast guard patrols closer to the Philippines’ shore, a  maritime expert said Monday.  

Chinese ships, including the "monster" coast guard vessel, have been deployed closer to the Philippine coast this year. Beijing's forces have also engaged in several confrontations with Filipino vessels in recent months in the West Philippine Sea. 

PCG confronts another Chinese ship off Zambales coast

“Ang gusto nila, kilalanin natin na kaya nilang gawin kahit anong gusto nilang gawin. Yung sinasabi nilang nagpapatrol sila, yung ang isa nilang paraan para sabihin nila sila ang siga dito, sila ang may control dito,”  said Jay Batongbacal, who heads the University of the Philippines’ Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Seas.

“Gusto nila siguro, parang pino-provoke tayo na ubusin din yung resources natin para sa kanila,” he told TeleRadyo Serbisyo.

The Philippines should be selective in planning counter-patrols and consider using other assets like drones and aircraft, he said.

“Hayaan lang natin sila kung gusto nilang mag-ubos ng milyun-milyong tonelada at litro ng krudo. Tayo naman, dapat carry lang tayo. Hindi dapat natin kinikilala yung kanilang mga aksyo,” Batongbacal asserted.

“Pwede tayong pumili kung alin ang ating bubuntutan, ano ang ating susundan. Hindi naman kailangan lahat ay buntututan mo ng barko, araw-araw, gabi-gabi,” the analyst said.

“Mayroon pa tayo sigurong i-develop na ibang assets, kunyari mga drone o aircraft na kayang gawin yung tungkulin na ipakita sa kanila na hindi natin sila kinikilala at dine-declare natin na illegal ang kanilang ginagawa,” he added. 

PCG pushes China's 'monster ship' further away from Zambales coast

The Philippine Coast Guard on Sunday said it drove China's "monster ship" away after it got close to the Zambales coastline.

The PCG said China Coast Guard's CCG 5901 was initially spotted 54 nautical miles from shore. With the help of the BRP Teresa Magbanua and other PCG vessels, they were able to push the Chinese ship back to approximately 120 nautical miles.

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