Philippine Coast Guard dispatches aircraft and vessel to confront China Coast Guard in EEZ

On September 27, the Philippine Coast Guard deployed a Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft and the multi-role response vessel BRP Teresa Magbanua to locate and confront a China Coast Guard ship, CCG-3303, reported to be inside the Philippine EEZ near Cabra Island. The aircraft, PCG-2081, launched from Manila, conducted a maritime domain awareness mission and confirmed the Chinese vessel's presence, issuing multiple radio challenges that received no response.

In the afternoon, the BRP Teresa Magbanua tracked three People's Liberation Army Navy warships, keeping them within a few nautical miles while maintaining PCG visibility. The PCG linked the Coast Guard and navy vessels to a Chinese monitoring effort tied to a recent ADMM-Plus maritime security activity. Officials reiterated that the waters are within the Philippines' EEZ, asserting sovereign rights under UNCLOS and the 2016 Arbitral Award, and pledged continued monitoring and challenges to unauthorized foreign vessels.