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Maniobra ng PCG sa WPS upang iwas sakuna pinuri
PINURI ni Senador Panfilo “Ping” M. Lacson nitong Martes ang kahusayan ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) sa pagmamaniobra upang makaiwas sa dalawang barkong Tsino malapit sa Panatag Shoal nitong Lunes ng umaga.
Gayunman, ipinaabot din niya ang pakikiramay sa iniulat na walang saysay na pagkamatay ng ilang tauhan ng China Coast Guard (CCG).
Batay sa mga ulat, hindi bababa sa dalawang kasapi ng CCG ang nasawi matapos magbanggaan ang China Coast Guard Vessel 3104 at People’s Liberation Army Ship 164 sa may Bajo de Masinloc habang hinahabol ang BRP Suluan.
“The WPS collision between a People’s Liberation Army Navy ship and a Chinese Coast Guard vessel, while chasing a PCG vessel on a mission to resupply our fishermen near Bajo de Masinloc reportedly killed 2 CCG crew members. While we are proud of a skillful maneuver by our PCG captain, we also mourn the senseless loss of lives of the CCG personnel,” ayon kay Lacson sa X.
Ayon kay PCG spokesperson para sa West Philippine Sea Commodore Jay Tarriela, tinangkang gamitan ng CCG ng water cannon ang BRP Suluan, ngunit nakaiwas ito dahil sa mahusay na seamanship ng kapitan at tripulante.
Noong oras ng insidente, nagsilbing escort ang BRP Suluan at BRP Teresa Magbanua sa MV Pamamalakaya, na naroon upang tumulong sa 35 bangkang pangisda ng mga Pilipino.
Sinabi ni Lyle Morris, senior fellow para sa patakarang panlabas at pambansang seguridad sa Asia Society Policy Institute Center for China Analysis, at dating Country Director para sa Tsina sa Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), na “the two sailors manning the bow of CCG 3104 likely died in the collision.”
“When the operational culture of a navy/coast guard is to habitually violate COLREGS (collision regulations) and norms of professionalism, this is the tragic result. The bow of China Coast Guard 3104 was completely destroyed colliding with PLA Navy Destroyer 164. The two sailors manning the bow of CCG 3104 likely died in the collision,” dagdag ni Morris.
Samantala, ayon sa retired Col. Vinayak Bhat, beterano ng military intelligence ng Indian Army, sa kanyang post sa X, ang apat na nasa forecastle ng nasirang barkong Tsino ay “must have certainly died.”
