(3rd UPDATE) A Chinese Coast Guard vessel rammed BRP Teresa Magbanua multiple times on Saturday afternoon at Escoda Shoal, the Philippine Coast Guard said.

"This afternoon, the Chinese Coast Guard vessel deliberately rammed and collided with the BRP Teresa Magbanua three times, despite no provocation from the Philippine Coast Guard," PCG spokesperson for the West Philippine Sea (WPS) Commodore Jay Tarriela said, as he shared video footage of the ramming incidents.

He also shared a photo showing several Chinese coast guard and Chinese "maritime militia" vessels surrounding the Philippine law enforcement ship.

"This ramming happened despite unprovoked action and presence in Escoda Shoal... There's a damage on the bridge swing and also on the sea board of the vessel  9701," he said in a separate press conference.

No one was injured in the Philippine side.

“Through our Department of Foreign Affairs, we have issued statements to the Chinese Embassy and the Philippine Embassy in Beijing, expressing our serious concern over this act by the Chinese vessels,” said Undersecretary Alexander Lopez, spokesperson for the National Maritime Council.

SOVEREIGN OPERATIONS

"I'd like to report to everyone that the PGC vessel has already dropped its anchor also inside Escoda Shoal," Tarriela said.

The 97-meter-long, multi-role ship has been stationed at Escoda Shoal since April following suspected reclamation attempts by China.

Located just over 75 nautical miles from Palawan, Escoda Shoal is within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone. 

"The Philippines will continue its sovereign operations in its maritime zones. The BRP Teresa Magbanua will remain and maintain its operations in the West Philippine Sea," the National Maritime Council said in a separate statement Saturday night. "We will not succumb to acts of harassment and aggressive behavior." 

"China's latest actions are uncalled for as the Philippine vessel was engaged in a peaceful and lawful patrol within its own maritime jurisdiction. The Philippines condemns this unprovoked aggression and remains steadfast in upholding its sovereignty, sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the West Philippine Sea. The Philippines will continue our routine maritime activities, protect our territory and maritime zones, and defend against environmental degradation and other illegal activities," it added. 

US Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay L. Carlson denounced the latest ramming incidents.

"The U.S. condemns the multiple dangerous violations of international law by the PRC, including today's intentional ramming of the BRP Teresa Magbanua while it was conducting lawful operations within the PH EEZ. We stand with the Philippines in upholding international law," Carlson said in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).

Philippines says China 'biggest disruptor' of peace in Southeast Asia

'ILLEGALLY STRANDED'

The Chinese embassy in Manila, however, claimed that the "illegally stranded" BRP Teresa Magbanua was the one that rammed Beijing's ship. 

In a statement, the embassy quoted China Coast Guard Bureau spokesman Liu Dejun as saying that "despite warnings, the Philippine ship 9701 deliberately rammed into China's normal rights law enforcement 5205 ship in an unprofessional and dangerous manner, resulting in a rub."

"The responsibility lies entirely with the Philippines," he claimed.

The latest ramming incident took place nearly a week after eight Chinese ships harassed Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) vessel, BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV 3002) while the latter was operating from Hasa-Hasa Shoal to Escoda Shoal.

South China Sea clash raises fears of full-blown conflict

China and the Philippines have been locked in a years-long dispute in the South China Sea.

Beijing claims almost the entire waterway with its so-called nine-dash line, which overlaps the exclusive economic zones of Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.

The Philippines uses the West Philippine Sea name for the portion of the SCS that it claims.

In 2016, an international tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines and invalidated China's claim in the strategic waters, but Beijing has refused to accept the ruling.

China has also become more assertive in its maritime territorial claims, leading to multiple clashes where Philippine ships have been damaged and Filipino sailors injured by water cannons. - with reports from Michael Joe Delizo, ABS-CBN News

Philippines to 'stand our ground' in South China Sea dispute