The Phil­ip­pine Coast Guard (PCG) dis­closed Sat­urday, Dec. 6, that it has expan­ded its patrol pres­ence off Zam­bales with the deploy­ment of BRP Cape San Agustin (MRRV-4408), which took over mari­time oper­a­tions after BRP Cabra (MRRV-4409) returned to port for resup­ply and crew rest, Com­modore Jay Tar­ri­ela said the ini­ti­at­ive ensured unin­ter­rup­ted patrols as China Coast Guard (CCG) ships con­tin­ued to linger near Bajo de Masin­loc (Scar­bor­ough or Panatag Shoal). Des­pite bat­tling two to three­meter waves, Tar­ri­ela said BRP Cape San Agustin man­aged to force CCG ves­sel with tail num­ber “3303” to move farther sea­ward, now posi­tioned about 135 naut­ical miles off the Zam­bales coast­line, but still within the 200-naut­ical-mile exclus­ive eco­nomic zone (EEZ).

Sadongdong, M. (2025, December 7). PH coast guard ship thwarts Chinese vessel off Zambales. Manila Bulletin, p. 2.