Philippine authorities logged the first reported harassment incident for 2026 in the West Philippine Sea after a Filipino fishing boat, Prince LJ, was pursued and pressured by a China Coast Guard (CCG) ship near Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, according to the Philippine Coast Guardโs West Philippine Sea spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela. The encounter happened roughly 16 nautical miles southeast of the shoalโclose enough to send the message China likes to send: โyouโre here on our terms.โ
Tarriela said the boatโs captain altered course to evade the vessels but was closely trailed, with CCG hull 23521 allegedly pushing in as near as 30 meters, blocking the boatโs path while blasting sirens. The PCGโs BRP Cape San Agustin responded by rendezvousing with Prince LJ for several hours before the fishing boat continued its routeโan escort posture that signals presence, but also underscores the reality: civilian livelihoods are being forced into โincident managementโ just to fish.
At a regular military briefing, Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad described it plainly: this is the first harassment incident of the year. That label matters because it sets the baseline for 2026โan early marker of how contested space is being policed at sea, not by courts or diplomacy, but by proximity, intimidation, and maneuvering around working vessels.
Panatagโs history explains why the flashpoints keep repeating. China has effectively controlled the shoal since 2012, and Manila has long pointed to the 2016 arbitral ruling that rejected Chinaโs expansive claim line and affirmed traditional fishing rights at Scarborough Shoalโyet Beijing continues to refuse recognition of the decision. The pattern has produced increasingly risky encounters, including the August 11, 2025 collision involving Chinese vessels near the same area. QUICK JAB takeaway: the calendar flipped, the conduct didnโt.
Image from Jay Tarriela