A Chinese vessel rammed a Philippine ship deployed to deliver fuel subsidy to local fishermen at Bajo de Masinloc or the Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). In a statement, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for WPS Rear Admiral Jay Tarriela said that around 11:04 a.m. on September 18, China Coast Guard 21585 rammed BRP Datu Magat of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) while it was carrying out its maritime patrol and fuel subsidy mission. “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,” Tarriela said.

Peralta-Malonzo, T. A. (2026, September 19). Chinese vessel rams PH ship anew in West Philippine Sea. SunStar Cebu, p. 6.