China CG rams BFAR vessel on fuel subsidy mission for Filipino fishermen — 54 NM off Palawan This morning, 18 September 2026, China Coast Guard vessel CCG-21585 rammed BRP Datu Magat Salamat (MMOV 3015), the same BFAR vessel the Philippine Coast Guard assisted yesterday as it carried out its maritime patrol to deliver fuel subsidy to our fishermen. The sequence of events are as follows: At 11:04 AM, CCG-21585 cut across the stern of the BFAR vessel at a distance of only about 10 meters. At 11:13 AM, while MMOV 3015 was simply maintaining its course, the Chinese vessel repeated the maneuver and this time made contact, striking the BFAR vessel. As of 11:48 AM, the extent of the damage on the starboard side has been confirmed: main railings bent, broken, and detached; metal stanchions and support structures deformed; and deck fixtures and equipment displaced, with debris scattered across the deck. Even after the collision, CCG-21585 conducted yet another dangerous maneuver, passing dead astern at a distance of only about 5 meters. This took place at 09°34.445'N, 116°53.714'E — approximately 6.36 NM NNW of Abad Santos Shoal and only about 54 NM from the coast of Palawan — well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. PCG Commandant Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan has already directed PCG surface and air assets to proceed to the location of the BFAR vessel to provide assistance and ensure the safety of its crew. Let us be clear about what this vessel was doing: it was bringing fuel to Filipino fishermen so they can keep fishing in our own waters and keep food on Filipino tables. The China Coast Guard deliberately rammed a civilian government vessel on a humanitarian and livelihood mission, endangering the lives of its Filipino crew. These actions are a blatant violation of the 1972 COLREGs, the 2016 Arbitral Award, and UNCLOS. No amount of ramming or dangerous maneuvering will change the fact that these waters belong to the Filipino people. The PCG will continue to support BFAR's missions in the West Philippine Sea, in accordance with the guidance of the President to ensure that our fishermen can safely exercise their rights in our own exclusive economic zone.

Thank you, former Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, for unearthing the 1875 Carta General del Archipiélago Filipino. For seven years, Justice Carpio traveled to Madrid, Spain, and various parts of the United States in pursuit of an original print of this historic map. He recently donated a copy to the National Library of the Philippines, where it now serves as a key historical document. The 1875 Carta General is one of the most complete and detailed official Spanish maps of the Philippine archipelago. It clearly depicts important Philippine territories, including: • Los Bajos de Paragua (the reef systems historically associated with the Spratly Islands, now known as Palawan’s Kalayaan Island Group) • Panacot (also called Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal off the coast of Zambales) This map strengthens the historical basis for the Philippines’ position over these features, as it was later adopted and reissued by the United States War Department after the Spanish-American War. morningcoffeethoughts.org/18…