Philippine and Taiwanese Coast Guard vessels engaged in a standoff near Batanes last week, an official of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmed on Wednesday. PCG spokesman Cmdr. Armand Balilo said the incident happened May 25 between the Taiwanese Coast Guard and operatives of the PCG-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) patrolling the Batanes area. Balilo said the standoff started when the PCG apprehended the Taiwanese fishing boat “Min Jiang Tsai 6” 18 nautical miles northeast of Batanes at 6:25 p.m.

Santos, T., & Calleja, N. (2015, June 4). PH, Taiwan coast guard ships in standoff near Batanes. Philippine Daily Inquirer, p. A3.